U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press briefing at the White House, following the Supreme Court's ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed tariffs, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 20, 2026.
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and RFK, Jr.’s sister, warned President Donald Trump to keep his hands off the Kennedy Center and for once concentrate on doing his job as president.
Speaking to CNN Anchor Erin Burnett on Tuesday, Kennedy showed no mercy for Trump’s obsession with putting his name on a building built to memorialize an entirely different president, her uncle John F. Kennedy.
“There's a war in Iran that's costing us billions, billions and billions of dollars, $40 billion so far. And that's just through July,” said Kennedy, speaking to Trump’s hand-picked Kennedy Center board voting to shut down the Kennedy center after Trump allegedly called in to shout down members. “As you just reported, we have skyrocketing gas prices. We have people who have to choose between going to the doctor or paying their rent. We have real pain in our country.”
“President Trump, please focus on what's important. Leave the Kennedy center alone. Allow us to move forward with this great art center, this monument to a slain president, and leave it alone. Focus on your job,” she repeated.
Kennedy warned that the American people “love the Kennedy center. They love the arts, and they understand what's going on.”
“They see the corruption of this,” said Kennedy. “There's 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.”
Burnett repeated the board’s claim that the building is facing “certain fiscal collapse within weeks,” and that it will take Trump's name on the building to get the money added back in.
“That's a false choice,” said Kennedy. “That is not the choice here. That's something he's making up in his own head. The courts have to be complied with. The court said, ‘you can't put your name on it.’ Then, all of a sudden, it's bankrupt. It's got $256 million in the bank, so this is not an issue of bankruptcy. This is hostage taking by the president of the United States.”
CNN anchor Kasie Hunt reported on Tuesday that Trump called into his hand-picked Kennedy Center board, shrieking orders to close the Kennedy Center unless he is allowed to put his name on the JFK Kennedy Center building.
“One source told me today that the president himself called into the board meeting and yelled at members, including Democratic congresswoman Joyce Beatty, whose lawsuit prevented the president's name from being added to the center's exterior,” reported Hunt. “Another source telling [us] that the heated exchange between Trump and Beatty was, ‘effing crazy,’ with the president blaming the congresswoman for getting the courts involved, saying she was responsible for the downfall of the Kennedy center, according to a person familiar with the matter.”
It was just moments earlier that Trump announced that the Kennedy center board had voted to close the cultural institution, effective immediately.
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Rfk, Jr.’s sister, warned President Donald Trump to keep his hands off the Kennedy Center and for once concentrate on doing his job as president.
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