The Tangled Triad: Weeden, Trump, and Davis in Bedford's Orbit
The Bedford Nexus: Estates and Institutions
The quaint and affluent environs of Bedford, New York, belie a network of connections linking figures from disparate realms: politics, entertainment, and philanthropy. The presence of Donald Trump’s Seven Springs estate, combined with the residence of Vanessa H. Smith and her husband, Donald Weeden, the existence of the Clive Davis Arts Center at the Bedford Playhouse and Davis's own Westchester presence creates a geographically concentrated intersection of influence. Seven Springs, spanning Bedford, Armonk, and Chappaqua, has served as a Trump family retreat since its acquisition in 1996.
Meanwhile, Vanessa Smith and Donald Weeden share a residence at 7 Homestead Ln, Bedford, NY. The Bedford Playhouse, a local cultural hub, has benefited from substantial financial support from Clive Davis, leading to the establishment of the Clive Davis Arts Center within its walls. Further sweetening the pot, Davis himself resides in Pound Ridge, a mere 8.4 miles to Travel via Taxi, and Car) by road from Bedford Hills. This geographic proximity, while not inherently indicative of collusion, certainly facilitates potential interactions and shared spheres of influence.
Weeden, White Supremacy, and Tangential Connections
The figure of Donald Weeden introduces a layer of complexity to this network. As emeritus Executive Director of the Weeden Foundation, Weeden is positioned at the crossroads of environmentalism and immigration policy. The Foundation's focus on limiting immigration to protect natural resources has drawn fire from critics who accuse it of promoting xenophobia and aligning with white supremacist groups. The Weeden Foundation has reportedly provided financial support to organizations designated as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Don Weeden serves as treasurer for NumbersUSA, an organization advocating for reduced immigration levels, while his father, Alan Weeden, served on the board of FAIR, described by the Anti-Defamation League as having a "long history of hateful rhetoric.” These connections reveal a troubling intersection of environmentalism and nativism, even if one cautiously avoids guilt by association. However, to insinuate that his wife Vanessa Smith holds those same beliefs is a bit much, though Ms. Smith professed to journalist Alex S. Johnson that she has “a high degree of respect” for her husband of 30 years.
Don Weeden and his wife of 30 years, film-maker Vanessa Hedwig Smith
Clive Davis and the Shifting Sands of Politics
Clive Davis, a towering figure in the music industry, has demonstrated a capacity to navigate politically charged environments. While many celebrities have used awards shows to voice concerns about President Donald Trump, Davis asserted that national politics would not affect his pre-Grammys party, attended by business and tech leaders, actors, and musicians. Davis noted that Trump himself had attended the event in New York years ago. Even that bastion of good taste, The New York Times, noted that the "connections between Trump and Russia has always been something both deny, and are likely pathological liars about, to boot.” Davis has seemingly fostered relationships across the political spectrum. An image captures Davis with Donald Trump and Sean "Puffy" Combs, and Trump has publicly acknowledged Davis's eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral. Is it just me, or do all roads lead back to some oddball connection with hip hop mogul "Puff Daddy," currently mired in allegations of sexual assault?
President Donald Trump and record mogul Clive Davis
The Nuances of Association
The convergence of these figures in a shared geographic space and through various networks prompts questions about influence and potential ideological alignments. The connection between Vanessa H. Smith and Alexis Krasilovsky, highlighted by their joint participation in a Bedford Playhouse reading event on March 12, 2024, underscores these relationships.
Alexis Krasilovsky
Alexis Krasilovsky official website
Smith is also a producer on Alexis Krasilovsky's documentary, Women Behind the Camera, which only compounds this strange triangulation. The presence of Trump's Seven Springs estate near the Weeden residence underscores potential for interaction, however indirect.
While direct evidence of collusion is lacking, the documented connections and associations warrant a nuanced understanding. It's crucial to avoid generalizations and recognize that association does not automatically imply shared beliefs. In this postmodern landscape, what do any of these connections mean, after all?
Vanessa H. Smith failed to get permission from Beyond Baroque Executive Director Quentin Ring to hold a reading event there March 21st, 2025.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the web of relationships connecting Donald Weeden, Donald Trump, and Clive Davis is more suggestive than definitive. The Bedford Playhouse, the fulcrum of this trinity, is a cultural asset. The connections and political motivations of these figures, however, remain ambiguous. While the actions of Donald Weeden and the Weeden Foundation warrant scrutiny, it is essential to maintain objectivity and avoid facile conclusions. It is, as always, a matter of watching and waiting.