Maria Shriver, the niece of John F. Kennedy (JFK), has publicly mocked US President Donald Trump‘s sudden decision to shutter the Kennedy Center, framing the move as a tactic to sidestep a growing artist boycott. The dramatic shutdown announcement follows months of controversy over Trump’s overhaul and renaming of the iconic Washington, D.C. institution.
Maria Shriver posts about Kennedy Center shutting down
Taking to the social platform X, JFK’s niece, Maria Shriver, offered a biting, sarcastic “translation” of Donald Trump‘s stated rationale for closing the Kennedy Center. She implied the decision is less about renovation needs and more about damage control following a wave of performer cancellations protesting Trump’s changes.
“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 to perform there any longer,” Shriver wrote quoting Trump’s statement.
She continued, “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?”
Trump announced the two-year closure on his Truth Social platform, stating the recently renamed Trump Kennedy Center would close on July 4 for “Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding.” Further calling the building “tired, broken, and dilapidated.” This is a reversal from prior assurances that the Kennedy Center would stay open during updates.
The announcement came just days after the venue hosted the premiere of a documentary about Melania Trump and amid a mounting exodus of artists. More than 20 performers and groups have canceled engagements, including high-profile names like Renée Fleming, the Martha Graham Dance Company, “Hamilton,” and composer Stephen Schwartz.
