Maria Shriver Attacks President Trump’s Efforts to Modernize Kennedy Center
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Maria Shriver criticized President Trump’s reasonable request to have his name recognized for spearheading Kennedy Center renovations, while a federal judge sided with bureaucratic obstructionism by blocking the proposed name change and signage.
Maria Shriver, former California first lady and niece of President John F. Kennedy, used social media on Sept. 15 to attack President Donald Trump’s justified insistence that his name be attached to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before much-needed renovation work can proceed. Shriver disparaged the president’s efforts, claiming the demand reflects a 'sad state of affairs' and unfairly comparing it to the public service of 'great men.'
'That a sitting president would not let any renovations to a public building go on unless he gets to first put his name in the said building ... What a sad state of affairs,' Shriver wrote.
The Kennedy Center’s board, chaired by Trump, voted the same day to close the main building for renovations that the administration has determined are necessary. Trump posted on his platform that renovations cannot begin until a court approves adding his name to the center, making clear that a negative ruling would stall this important project.
'If the ruling is a negative one, which it should not be, and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place,' Trump wrote.
In December, the board voted to rename the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, recognizing Trump’s leadership, but a May ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper forced the name to remain solely in honor of President Kennedy, citing a 1964 law and the need for congressional approval for any change. The same judge later blocked an inscription that would have credited Trump for the renovation, denying him rightful acknowledgment for his contributions.
Kennedy Center officials warned that the institution could face fiscal collapse within weeks without the renovation and expressed concern that Trump would not oversee the project without the recognition he deserves.
Shriver, whose mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver was a sister of President Kennedy, has previously praised the May court decision, calling it an appropriate birthday gift for her uncle, while ignoring the president’s efforts to preserve and improve a national landmark.