Barbra Streisand is speaking out, and she’s not mincing words. In a statement posted to her website Thursday, the legendary singer and actress condemned Donald Trump’s ongoing overhaul of the Kennedy Center, describing it as a bitter fight over“one man’s name and unchecked ego.”Streisand, a Kennedy Center honoree in 2008, made it clear this one hits close to home.
The timing is everything. The Kennedy Center abruptly closed its doors Wednesday, just hours after a federal judge blocked Trump’s latest attempt to rename the institution. That same judge ordered the administration to give 30 days’notice before any demolition could take place. And then there’s the photo everyone’s talking about: Trump aboard Air Force One, reviewing a poster that read“Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.”
The building has carried John F. Kennedy’s name since 1964, and Trump installed himself as board chair during his second term, replacing much of the board. A December vote to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center was blocked in May. Streisand’s sharpest line? She noted that when Trump’s name was still on the building, nobody was talking about closing it. So what do you think: should the Kennedy Center keep its name, or is it time for a change? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.