Members of the Kennedy family lashed out at President Donald J. Trump over the latest development in the Kennedy Center saga and his insistence that his name be displayed on the front of the building.
On Tuesday, Trump’s hand-picked board voted to shut down the beloved Washington, D.C. venue after a federal judge again rejected an effort to prominently give credit to the president for renovations to the facility which he has maligned as being “rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested,” among other things.
Later in the day, Kerry Kennedy, the sister of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. aired her grievances about Trump on CNN, slamming the president during a chat with anchor Erin Burnett.
Kerry Kennedy on Kennedy Center: This is like so many other things that Trump has touched. It’s a bankruptcy because he adds his name to it. pic.twitter.com/TEX56uL1xW
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 15, 2026
“What’s your reaction to the board voting to shut down the Kennedy Center altogether,” Burnett asked.
“Well, this is a tragedy.” Kennedy responded. “You know, the American people love the Kennedy Center. They love the arts, they understand what’s going on. “
“They see the corruption of this,” she continued. “There is not a financial issue here. President Trump has said they have $250 million ready to hand over tomorrow, he’s just withholding it because he wants his name on the building.”
“So, this is like so many other things that Trump has touched,” Kennedy added. “It’s a bankruptcy because he adds his name to it.”
In a Tuesday post to Truth Social, Trump announced that if the Supreme Court declines to overrule Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, that he will be washing his hands of the matter and shutting the doors for good.
“The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it can begin the process of Reconstruction. The closing will take place immediately, however, the Renovation and Reconstruction, which is a very large and complex job, cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board’s approved name,” the president wrote.
“If the ruling is a negative one, which it should not be, and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place,” Trump vowed.
“In the meantime, 17 Million Dollars, raised by President Trump, has been put into The Kennedy Center account to keep it afloat,” he added.
Another member of Kennedy clan, Maria Shriver, slammed Trump over his announcement.
And so here we are. This statement from Trump blows my mind. That a sitting president would not let any renovations to a public building go on unless he gets to first put his name in the said building… What a sad state of affairs. What a tragedy. Actually, how small minded, how… pic.twitter.com/FlZl5ifWxs
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) September 15, 2026
“And so here we are. This statement from Trump blows my mind. That a sitting president would not let any renovations to a public building go on unless he gets to first put his name in the said building… What a sad state of affairs. What a tragedy. Actually, how small minded, how narcissistic. Actually great men, devoted to public service and the public good do not act like this,” she wrote.
“It seems that this man will not rest until his name is permanently connected to the name of a great president, whose memory this building was dedicated to. Imagine spending your time and your days focused on this, as everyday Americans struggle with healthcare, gas prices, rent, and food,” Shriver added. “Imagine spending your days focused on this, while a war rages under your leadership. Enough said. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Kennedy previously disavowed her own brother after he broke with Democrats and endorsed Trump in 2024, showing that party loyalty is thicker than blood, and that’s exactly why she’s CNN’s go-to-gal.
