Maria Shriver, journalist and niece of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, has strongly condemned the Trump administration’s plan to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s board of trustees reportedly voted to change the name, prompting Shriver to describe the move as “beyond comprehension,” “undignified,” and “downright weird.” She emphasised that the center was established to honor President Kennedy’s lifelong commitment to arts, culture, education, history, and language.

Shriver warned that renaming the iconic cultural institution for political vanity would set a dangerous precedent, potentially paving the way for other landmarks, such as JFK Airport or the Lincoln Memorial, to be renamed for similar purposes.

“The Kennedy Center was named after my uncle, President John F. Kennedy. He was a man who celebrated the arts and stood up for artists,” Shriver said. “It is beyond wild to think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not.”

U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who serves as an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center board, also raised concerns about the decision-making process. She alleged that dissenting voices were silenced during the board meeting, and the outcome was misrepresented as unanimous, raising questions about transparency and due process.

Shriver called on Americans to resist what she described as “ego-driven politics” and “creeping authoritarian symbolism,” urging citizens to recognise the broader implications of renaming historic landmarks for personal political gain.