'Blatantly illegal act': Joe Kennedy III blasts Trump over Kennedy Center renaming bid
WASHINGTON, DC: Former representative Joe Kennedy III has broken his silence after a court blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to add his name to the Kennedy Center, calling the move "blatantly illegal" while reaffirming the values his family says the institution represents.
The ruling drew renewed attention to the Kennedy family's opposition to Trump's effort, even as Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr said the dispute was not among his top priorities.
Joe Kennedy III backs court's Kennedy Center ruling
Speaking to the Irish Star, Kennedy welcomed the decision after a judge ruled that changing the name of the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts required congressional approval.
"The Kennedy Center was created by an act of Congress to memorialize a slain president who dedicated his life to the United States and its people," Kennedy said.
He argued the institution stands for more than its name.
"It's more than a building, it is the values that animate that space, through the performances, through the music, through the art. The human connections that bring people from around the world and across the country, across different backgrounds, together. It is what makes the place special," he said.
Former Representative criticises Trump for renaming Kennedy Center
Kennedy then directly criticized Trump's effort to rename the venue.
"It was a blatantly illegal act, and I'm glad that the courts said as much," said the former US representative and former US special envoy for Northern Ireland.
Trump had moved quickly to reshape the Kennedy Center after returning to office, replacing its leadership with his own board of trustees.
In December, that board voted to rename the venue "The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
Following the initial court ruling ordering Trump's name removed, the administration asked an appeals court to pause the decision.
In court filings, it argued that keeping Trump's name on the building was critical to fundraising efforts.
"Without the name, 'Trump' on the building, our fundraising will not only come to a halt," the administration wrote, adding that "any and all monies raised or committed would be obligated to be returned, refunded, or terminated."
The appeals court denied that request on June 12, and the bronze letters bearing Trump's name were removed.
RFK Jr declines to join family's fight
While several members of the Kennedy family publicly condemned Trump's actions, Robert F Kennedy Jr took a different approach when asked about the dispute during a CBS interview.
"Of course, I understand it, but I have bigger fish to fry," RFK Jr said when asked whether he understood why his relatives were upset.
He added, "If we lose any children in this country to obesity, heart disease, 77 per cent of our kids can't qualify for the military. Saving one life is more important to me than the name on a building."
Asked about his cousin's decision not to join the family's opposition, Joe Kennedy III avoided criticizing RKF Jr directly and instead returned to the principles he said have guided the Kennedy family for generations.
"I'm proud of the values that my family has been, for generations, trying to fight for," Kennedy said.
