Maria Shriver sharply criticized President Donald Trump following a high-profile decision involving the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, igniting a new political and cultural controversy in the nation’s capital.
The backlash erupted after the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees voted to rename the historic venue the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” The announcement, made Thursday, immediately drew strong reactions from members of the Kennedy family and longtime supporters of the institution.
Shriver, a journalist and advocate who is the niece of former President John F. Kennedy, condemned the move in a widely shared social media post. She argued that the Kennedy Center was established specifically to honor her uncle’s legacy and his commitment to culture, education, and the arts.
In her remarks, Shriver highlighted JFK’s role in elevating the arts during his presidency, often alongside his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, noting their efforts to bring cultural appreciation into the White House and public life.
Shriver said the performing arts center was originally established to honor her uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, underscoring its deep historical and symbolic importance.
She went on to criticize the idea of adding President Trump’s name to the memorial, suggesting it represented an unnecessary politicization of a national cultural landmark. Her comments quickly gained traction online, amassing tens of thousands of reactions and fueling broader debate over the role of politics in America’s historic institutions.
In follow-up posts, Shriver intensified her criticism, questioning the appropriateness of renaming major landmarks and warning against what she viewed as a troubling precedent. Her remarks were echoed by other critics who argue that national memorials should remain nonpartisan.
President Trump, who became chair of the Kennedy Center board earlier this year, has publicly embraced the new naming structure. Speaking with reporters after the vote, Trump said he was “honored” and “surprised” by the board’s decision, framing it as a gesture of recognition rather than self-promotion.
The controversy underscores a larger cultural divide surrounding legacy institutions, presidential influence, and historical memory in Washington, D.C. As debate continues, the Kennedy Center finds itself once again at the center of a national conversation—this time blending politics, culture, and competing views of American tradition.