Kerry Kennedy, the sister of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., blamed President Trump for the Kennedy Center’s board voting to close the performing arts venue, calling the decision a "tragedy." “The American people love the Kennedy Center,” she told CNN's Erin Burnett on Tuesday.
Page D2From§Eachthe coffee break edition — 16 September 2026
Trump threatens to cancel Kennedy Center repairs after ceiling collapse unless his name goes back on facade
“The roof caved in, and suddenly the same board that let it rot for years finds two urgent years of renovation — funny how urgent shows up the same week a judge won't let his name go on the wall. That's not maintenance, that's a hostage note taped to scaffolding. You paid for that hall same as everybody else, and now it stays shut until his name's on it, or it doesn't stay shut at all.”
“Look, the president just wants recognition for pushing critical infrastructure repairs that everybody agrees the building desperately needs — is that really the scandal here? He's not holding the hall hostage, he's insisting on basic acknowledgment, and if the renovation stalls because a judge won't allow that, that's the judge's call, not his. Did I just say the guy who threatened to cancel it isn't the one stalling it? That's not — that's not what I meant to say.”
The receipts
Earlier Tuesday, a federal judge again blocked the board from adding President Trump's name to the facade of the building.
President Trump threatened to stop the planned renovation of the Kennedy Center if a judge's ruling barring his name from being added to the building again isn't overturned. The board voted Tuesday to close the center for renovation. CBS News' Olivia Rinaldi has more details.
· Portion of the Kennedy Center ceiling collapses, renewing calls to close for renovations from the morgue, 5 Sep 2026
· Kennedy Center ceiling partially collapses as Trump-led board pushes for 2-year closure from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Lutnick floats new way to add Trump's name to Kennedy Center from the morgue, 27 Aug 2026
· Trump fights to keep name on Kennedy Center, warning demolition if renovations don't continue from the morgue, 26 Aug 2026
· DOJ in court to defend Kennedy Center Board's new push to add Trump's name to building from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
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