A private letter written by Jackie Kennedy in October 1964 has resurfaced amid controversy at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, expressing concerns that have come to fruition 60 years later under President Donald Trump’s leadership of the institution.
The former first lady penned the letter to Roger Stevens, the Kennedy Center’s founding chairman, detailing her apprehensions about naming the national cultural center after her late husband, President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. In the correspondence, Jackie Kennedy feared the center would fall into the realm of political patronage and demanded a say in selecting the director and trustees.
“He has a right to peace now,” Jackie Kennedy wrote in the letter, explaining her hesitation about creating another memorial for her husband beyond his grave and presidential library.
The letter outlined strict conditions for her support of the naming. Jackie Kennedy threatened to ask Congress to change the center’s name if her requirements were not met. She insisted that trustees must care about the arts rather than political favors, specifically warning against appointing someone like George Brown, whom she characterized as being repaid for past favors or named in hope of campaign contributions.
In February 2025, Trump installed himself as Kennedy Center chairman and appointed MAGA loyalists to the historically bipartisan board. Ric Grenell was named president, while Sergio Gor was appointed secretary. Trump also put his name on the Kennedy Center exterior, though the institution needs congressional approval for an official name change.
The appointments and changes sparked immediate backlash from the arts community. Several artists canceled their Kennedy Center performances, and ticket sales plummeted. Only 50 percent of National Symphony Orchestra subscribers renewed their memberships, and ticket purchases for concerts dropped to 30 percent.
The Washington National Opera ended its residency at the Kennedy Center. The Martha Graham Dance Company canceled its April show. Renowned composer Philip Glass withdrew his world premiere, and Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming backed out of scheduled performances.
On February 4, 2026, Trump announced the Kennedy Center would close for two years beginning July 4th. He claimed the center is tired, broken and dilapidated, saying the closure is needed for quality construction.
“If we don’t close, the quality of Construction will not be nearly as good, and the time to completion, because of interruption from Audiences from the many Events using the Facility, will be much longer,” Trump stated.
Grenell defended the decision, saying the renovation was desperately needed. Congress appropriated 257 million dollars for the project.
Members of the Kennedy family have sharply criticized Trump’s actions at the institution. Jack Schlossberg, John F. Kennedy’s grandson, said Trump is trying to kill JFK. Maria Shriver, Kennedy’s niece, mocked Trump’s closure announcement on social media. Joe Kennedy III also condemned the changes as a trespass on the people’s will.
The Kennedy Center has served as the nation’s cultural center, hosting opera, ballet, orchestral performances, theater and other performing arts. The institution was established as a living memorial to President Kennedy, who was a strong advocate for the arts during his brief presidency. The center was named after Kennedy, with federal funding for its construction and operation.
Jackie Kennedy’s 1964 letter reveals the careful thought she gave to protecting her husband’s legacy from political manipulation. She wrote that the list of trustees should gradually be honed down to people who would care and work for the center. Her vision was for an institution led by genuine arts lovers who would maintain its integrity independent of partisan politics.
The former first lady’s prescient concerns about political patronage now appear validated by recent developments. Her warning that trustees should never be appointed as repayment for past favors or in hopes of campaign contributions seems particularly relevant given the current board composition.
The Kennedy Center’s struggles extend beyond leadership changes. The institution has faced significant financial challenges as audiences stay away and major performing groups sever their relationships with the venue. The decline in ticket sales and subscriber renewals represents a dramatic shift for an institution that has long been considered one of the premier performing arts centers in the United States.
Trump’s decision to close the center for renovation comes amid these mounting difficulties. The two-year closure will mark a significant shutdown in the institution’s history. The scope and nature of the planned renovations remain unclear, though Trump has indicated he wants to modernize the facility.
The resurfacing of Jackie Kennedy’s 1964 letter has added historical context to current debates about the Kennedy Center’s direction. Her words from more than six decades ago speak directly to concerns raised by artists, audiences and Kennedy family members today.
