From Billboard · Hannah Dailey · · 1m 40s
Streisand blasts Trump's Kennedy Center power play
The legendary singer condemns the president's attempt to rename the cultural institution after himself as an act of unchecked ego.
In brief
The legendary singer condemns the president's attempt to rename the cultural institution after himself as an act of unchecked ego. Barbra Streisand views Trump's Kennedy Center takeover as a threat to the institution's legacy as a memorial to JFK and a symbol of art's importance to democracy. Originally reported by…
Kennedy Center built as JFK memorial
Congress designated the National Cultural Center as a living memorial to President Kennedy after his 1963 assassination. It was renamed in his honor because he championed the arts.
“Re-naming the Cultural Center in JFK's honor was a fitting choice, because he was a true champion of the arts.”
Streisand honored at Kennedy Center
In 2008, Streisand received the Kennedy Center Honors, which she says represented more than career recognition. It symbolized her belief in art's importance to democracy.
“For me, and for so many artists, that honor represented something larger than a career recognition.”
Trump attempts to rename the building
Trump tried to add his name to the Kennedy Center entrance alongside JFK's. The move faced widespread opposition from artists and the public, and a federal judge blocked it in May.
“When Donald Trump attempted to put his name alongside the late President Kennedy's on the building's entrance, the move was met with widespread opposition.”
Kennedy Center suddenly closes for renovations
The center closed Wednesday for safety repairs, but the timing raised suspicion since a judge had just blocked Trump's renaming attempt hours earlier. Trump said the building would be demolished without his support.
Streisand condemns Trump's unchecked ego
Streisand called it galling and painful to see the institution become a battleground over one man's name. She criticized Trump's unchecked ego and urged voters to act in upcoming elections.
“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.”
Judge orders 30-day demolition notice
A federal judge ruled Trump must give at least 30 days' notice before demolishing the Kennedy Center. The order came after Trump was photographed reviewing a poster that read Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.
The one thing
Barbra Streisand views Trump's Kennedy Center takeover as a threat to the institution's legacy as a memorial to JFK and a symbol of art's importance to democracy.
