Overview
- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he understands family anger but has “bigger fish to fry,” citing child health priorities and confirming he neither participated in nor advised against the change.
- The Kennedy Center’s board voted last month to append President Trump’s name, a move the White House promoted as a unanimous decision recognizing his role in “saving the building.”
- Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio trustee, disputed the claimed unanimity, alleging she was muted during the virtual vote and could not register opposition.
- Several Kennedy family members condemned the renaming, with Jack Schlossberg and Joe Kennedy III questioning its legality and Kerry Kennedy and Maria Shriver denouncing the decision publicly.
- Legal questions persist because Congress established the center as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy, and the founding law restricts additional memorials or plaques, suggesting lawmakers’ approval may be required.