Kennedy family blasts Trump over Kennedy Center shutdown: ‘Bring him to justice’
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will temporarily close for two years has drawn sharp criticism from members of the Kennedy family.
Trump’s decision to shut down the iconic institution, which board members have tried to rebrand as the Trump-Kennedy Center, along with his explanation for the closure, prompted vocal rebukes from JFK’s niece Maria Shriver and his grandson Jack Schlossberg.
Translation: It has been brought to my attention that due to the name change (but nobody’s telling me it’s due to the name change), but it’s been brought to my attention that entertainers are canceling left and right, and I have determined that since the name change no one wants… https://t.co/BDsjQeOAC9
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) February 2, 2026
Maria Shriver’s response to Kennedy Center shutdown
Maria Shriver expressed skepticism and frustration over President Donald Trump’s announcement that the Kennedy Center, named for her uncle, former President John F Kennedy, will close for two years beginning July 4 for “construction, revitalization, and complete rebuilding.”
Trump shared the decision in a Truth Social post, claiming the center was “tired, broken, and dilapidated” and that the closure would allow renovations to proceed more efficiently without performances interrupting the work.
Shriver did not accept this explanation. On X, she mocked the rationale, implying that Trump’s real motivation stemmed from a wave of performers canceling appearances following the controversial renaming and leadership changes at the center. She wrote that it had been “brought to my attention that entertainers are canceling left and right, and I have determined that since the name change no one wants to perform there any longer.”
Shriver continued her critique with a satirical twist, suggesting that Trump was essentially saying he would close the center and rebuild it under a new name, one bearing his own, to distract from the backlash over performers’ cancellations.
She wrote, “I’ve determined that due to this change in schedule, it’s best for me to close this center down and rebuild a new center that will bear my name, which will surely get everybody to stop talking about the fact that everybody’s canceling… right?”
Jack Schlossberg’s criticism of Trump amid closure controversy
Schlossberg, took an even more direct and forceful stance. On his X account, he accused Trump of attempting to dominate the historic arts venue and appealed to Americans to act politically against the president.
He wrote, “Trump can take the Kennedy Center for himself. He can change the name, shut the doors, and demolish the building. He can try to kill JFK,” and added, “But JFK is kept alive by us now rising up to remove Donald Trump, bring him to justice, and restore the freedoms generations fought for.”
Trump can take the Kennedy Center for himself.
— Jack Schlossberg (@JBKSchlossberg) February 2, 2026
He can change the name, shut the doors, and demolish the building.
He can try to kill JFK.
But JFK is kept alive by us now rising up to remove Donald Trump, bring him to justice, and restore the freedoms generations fought for.
He has previously clashed with the Trump administration on other matters, including criticizing Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr for his role in a recent measles outbreak.
Richard Grenell, appointed by Trump as president of the Kennedy Center, was quick to frame the closure positively, “It desperately needs this renovation, and temporarily closing the Center just makes sense.”
Grenell also praised Trump’s reputation for “delivering large construction projects on time," and added, "This will be a brief closure in retrospect-and I am confident this sets the stage for a stronger, revitalized National Cultural and Entertainment Complex."
