Friday marked the 109th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s birth, and his niece, Maria Shriver, said her uncle and the Kennedy family got the best gift possible: The removal of Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center.
The ruling by Judge Christopher Cooper said only Congress can change the name of the arts center and, as a result, Trump’s name must be removed from the institution’s title, as well as from the façade of the center and “any other physical or digital signage, and official materials.”
The ruling thrilled Shriver, who noted the significance of the date it was issued.
“An appropriate birthday present on my uncle’s birthday today. A federal judge ruled that President Trump and the Kennedy Center Board acted unlawfully in renaming the Kennedy Center.
“The judge held that only Congress can change the Center’s name and blocked the planned two-year closure.
“I know they’ll probably appeal and the story isn’t over, but for today let’s celebrate a great birthday gift.”
Another JFK niece, Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and sister of Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., praised the ruling by referencing the vow she made in December to “grab a pickax and pull those letters off that building” as soon as Trump was out of office.
“Perhaps I won’t need that pickaxe after all,” she said, before noting, “What a great way to celebrate you on your birthday, Uncle Jack!”
Although Kennedy family members such as JFK’s grandson and New York congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg hadn’t commented on the ruling as of Friday afternoon, many prominent politicians supported the move.
Trump, to the surprise of no one, took to his Truth Social platform to post a lengthy gripe about the ruling that could be summed up with just two words: sour grapes. An excerpt:
“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,’” he said.
“There has never been a President of the United States who has been treated so unfairly by the Courts as I but, that’s OK, I will continue to do, what is considered to be, a great job for the wonderful people of our Country.
“I have instructed the Department of Commerce to make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution, giving them the responsibility for its Operation, Maintenance, and Management.”