NEWSRory Kennedy Calls Donald Trump's Kennedy Center Push an 'Affront' to JFK's Legacy
Rory Kennedy criticized Donald Trump’s effort to add his name to the Kennedy Center.
Sept. 6 2026, Updated 5:16 a.m. ET
Rory Kennedy is speaking out against President Donald Trump’s attempt to remake the Kennedy Center, saying the fight over her uncle’s living memorial has become an exhausting legal spectacle.
Kennedy, 57, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker and niece of President John F. Kennedy, criticized Trump’s push to add his name to the famed Washington, D.C., performing arts venue during an appearance on The Daily Beast’s “Obsessed” podcast.
Rory Kennedy argued that Congress should decide whether the memorial’s name can be changed.
“This is a clear example of overstepping,” Kennedy said. “So my hope is that Congress pushes back and does its job, which is, if they want to rename the Kennedy Center, then put it to a vote.”
‘An Affront to the Kennedy Center’
The filmmaker called the proposed change an affront to her uncle John F. Kennedy’s legacy.
The Kennedy Center was created as a “living memorial” to JFK, and Kennedy said federal law limits what can be changed on the institution’s name and exterior without congressional approval.
“To me, it’s an affront to the Kennedy Center and to the arts,” she said. “My uncle, John F. Kennedy — this was something that Congress put in his name as a memorial, not unlike the Lincoln Memorial, but wanted it to be an active memorial.”
She said the center was meant to honor “the love in this country for this pretty spectacular fallen president.”
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A Name Fight Returns
A judge had previously ordered Donald Trump’s name removed.
Trump previously added his name to the Kennedy Center’s facade, but a federal judge ruled the change illegal and ordered it removed. His administration has since backed a new inscription reading, “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump,” tied to a planned two-year closure for renovations.
The fight intensified after Justice Department lawyers suggested in a court filing that the building could be demolished if Trump’s role is not prominently recognized. One possible replacement mentioned in the filing was an outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River.
Kennedy called Trump’s move without Congress “unsettling” and “upsetting,” saying it reflects disregard for checks and balances.
‘What Are They Hiding?’
Rory Kennedy questioned what was hidden behind the tarp covering the venue’s facade.
Since June, a tarp has covered the Kennedy Center’s facade, obscuring the building’s sign. The Trump-aligned board has said the covering is needed for construction and repairs, but Kennedy questioned that explanation.
“What are they hiding back there?” she asked.
Kennedy, whose latest documentary Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing is now streaming on Netflix, said she expects the legal and political system to eventually block Trump’s effort.
“I’m confident that the system will play itself out the way it’s supposed to,” she said, “but I think it’s consuming a lot of resources and time that feels ill-spent.”
