RFK Jr’s sister Kerry Kennedy called the Kennedy Center shutdown ‘a tragedy,’ and accused Trump of withholding $250 million over his name

Kerry Kennedy appeared on CNN with Erin Burnett to discuss the shutdown of the Kennedy Center. The sister of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the news “a tragedy.” She said Americans love the Kennedy Center and love the arts.

According to Mediaite, Kennedy told Burnett that people understand what is going on and see the corruption of this. Kennedy claimed that Trump is intentionally holding up the budget, and if he has his way, funds can be made available right way.

“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,” she said. “This is like so many other things that Trump has touched. It’s a bankruptcy because he adds his name to it,” she added.

Board voted Tuesday to shut the Kennedy Center after a court blocked the name change

The Kennedy Center’s Trump-aligned board voted Tuesday to close the facility. The decision followed a federal judge’s latest rejection of an effort to put Trump’s name on the building. Trump said the shutdown would begin at once for safety reasons. He also said planned renovations would not go forward unless the courts eventually allow his name to be added.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “In the meantime,” followed by, “17 Million Dollars, raised by President Trump, has been put into The Kennedy Center account to keep it afloat.” The Kennedy Center’s troubles go beyond the funding dispute, as it was also ordered to pay jazz musician Chuck Redd more than $250,000 after suing him. 

Officials at the center have claimed the building needs major renovation work and is struggling with money.

The Washington Post reported that ticket sales and fundraising collapsed after the president’s name was first added to the building. The same report said this happened even as the center’s leaders publicly touted a financial turnaround.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick argued in August that the center should carry the president’s name. He told reporters, “When you have the greatest philanthropist, the guy’s gonna raise you $500 million, you just need him to agree. And whatever the terms are, since you know he’s the most credible person in the world, when he says, ‘I’m going to raise the money,’ you know he’s gonna raise the money.”