President Donald Trump is not giving up on his efforts to permanently affix his name to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Now, he seems to be mulling tearing the iconic facility down if the courts do not permit him adding his name. With that as a troubling backdrop, one of the most lauded and beloved entertainers of our time is speaking out. Barbra Streisand, who was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2008, is fed up with the president's maneuvering and she's saying so.
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Streisand Called the Current Situation "Galling and Painful"
The Funny Girl star, 84, penned a long message about this subject on her web site. Dated September 17, she wrote in part, "...In 2008, I was deeply honored to be included in the 31st annual class of Kennedy Center Honorees. For me, and for so many artists, that honor represented something larger than a career recognition. It represented a belief in the importance of art to the life of a democracy.
That is why what is happening to the Kennedy Center is so galling and painful to witness...
You can easily imagine my indignation at seeing this revered institution become the subject of such a bitter struggle over one man's name and unchecked ego...."
"Hands Around the Kennedy Center" Protest Announced by a Kennedy Family Member
Members of the Kennedy family are also aghast. Some of them like Maria Shriver are fuming at Trump's threats to possibly demolish the place that Barbra Streisand called "one of America's great cultural venues." Therefore, Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, announced a protest. It was named "Hands Around the Kennedy Center." The event took place on Friday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m. and attracted a huge crowd.
On X, Kennedy showed two images, side by side. One on the left depicts Trump aboard Air Force One. The photo was taken through a window of the aircraft. He is seen studying what appears to be a poster that says across the top, "'Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED."
On the right is a photo of the Kennedy Center that invited people to join the protest.
Trump Also Spoke About the Landmark Cultural Building Dedicated to JFK
Per People, President Trump addressed the ongoing tumultuous situation regarding the Kennedy Center. He told reporters, "For the Trump administration, for me to get involved and to take that on long term and to carry it or to raise money to carry it, I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition. Because frankly, if we don't do that, it's going to close. It'll end up being ripped down. It's in very, very bad shape, very dangerous shape."
