Editorial News Uncategorized

Trump has declared war—on the Kennedys

Jacques Pj Provost

2026-06-21 00:03:02

A Controversial Legal Power Play

On December 18, 2025, the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to rename the institution “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” The vote, described as unanimous by spokesperson Roma Daravi, was intended, she said, to honor “Trump’s work at the center since he took control early in his second term.” However, some board members disputed this account of events. Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, an ex officio member of the board, said she was silenced during the conference call in which the vote took place. “Every time I tried to speak, I was silenced,” she said in a video posted on X. Jack Schlossberg, Tatiana’s brother and JFK’s grandson, also voiced concerns on social media regarding reports of participants being muted during the vote.

Significant legal questions remain regarding the legality of this decision. The Kennedy Center was designated by Congress in 1964 as a memorial to the assassinated Democratic president, and federal law requires the board to “ensure that, after December 2, 1983, no additional memorials or commemorative plaques are designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” Legal experts told CNN that the board’s decision was likely illegal, although it is unclear whether anyone wishing to challenge the decision would have the legal standing to pursue such a case. Joe Kennedy III, a former congressman and great-grandnephew of the late president, said, “The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and is named after President Kennedy by federal law. It cannot be renamed any more easily than one could rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says.”

There is something deeply ironic about all of this. Trump, who presents himself as the defender of American heritage, is preparing to erase the name of a true American hero and replace it with his own. The Kennedy Center is not just any building. It is a memorial. A sacred place. Imagine if tomorrow someone decided to rename the Lincoln Memorial the “Trump-Lincoln Memorial.” There’s a line between ambition and hubris, and Trump crossed it a long time ago. What fascinates me is this obsession with his name. It has to be everywhere. On buildings, on airplanes, in history. As if slapping his name on things could make up for the lack of real accomplishment. As if greatness were measured in gold letters rather than in deeds.

The Radical Transformation of the Institution

Since returning to power, Trump has waged an aggressive campaign to reshape the institution according to his personal tastes. A few days after taking office, he announced a plan to dismantle the existing board of directors and remove its chairman, billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein. Since then, he has led an effort to redefine the institution: reshaping its leadership, securing multimillion-dollar funding from Congress for renovations, and reimagining its programming. He has installed a roster of loyalists, including the new president, Richard Grenell—his ambassador to Germany during his first term—who has reevaluated the programming, targeting it “for the masses.” Grenell has reduced the existing staff, hired political allies, and imposed a “balance policy” for every performance and venue booking.

The changes also extend to what’s on stage, as the president seeks to implement a “vision for a golden age in the arts and culture,” asserting that the “Trump Kennedy Center” would not be “woke.” Trump’s impact on the institution was evident in early December 2025 during the Kennedy Center Honors. The president stated that he was “98%” involved in selecting the honorees, who ranged from Sylvester Stallone to the rock band KISS and Gloria Gaynor, among others. Trump also stated that under his administration, the center had seen “record numbers” of donors and outlined plans for Congress to invest more money in the center. “We’re saving the building. We’ve saved the building. The building was in such bad shape—physically, financially, and in every other way. And now it’s very solid, very strong,” he said.

“Woke” art. What does that actually mean? For Trump, “woke” art is probably anything that’s beyond his grasp. Anything that requires thought. Anything that challenges the status quo. He prefers easy art—art that flatters, art that resembles his gilded galas at Mar-a-Lago. The Kennedy Center was the embodiment of Camelot—elegance, culture, intelligence. Trump wants to turn it into a second-rate cabaret. And the worst part is that he really believes it. He truly thinks he’s making things better. This is what’s known as the Dunning-Kruger effect: the inability to recognize one’s own incompetence. He doesn’t understand that greatness cannot be commanded. True art does not bow to the whims of a tyrant.

Section 2: The Dismantling of USAID

The Murdered Humanitarian Agency

USAID (United States Agency for International Development), founded by John F. Kennedy in 1961 to administer foreign humanitarian aid, has effectively been shut down by Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the leadership of Elon Musk. Over the past two decades, the agency’s programs have been credited with saving the lives of 92 million people worldwide. According to a tracker created by Brooke Nichols, a mathematical modeler of infectious diseases and health economist at Boston University, as of Saturday, January 3, 2026, Trump’s shutdown of USAID had resulted in nearly 725,000 deaths—more than 88 deaths per hour. More than two-thirds of them were children.

Atul Gawande of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health pointed out in a November 2025 essay in The New Yorker that Nichols’s model assumed, for example, that the State Department would fully support the remaining programs. “This is, of course, a major assumption,” Gawande wrote. USAID played a crucial role in responding to global humanitarian crises, from malaria and malnutrition to natural disasters. Its closure left a void in U.S. humanitarian aid that other nations have been unable to fully fill. The consequences of this decision will be felt for years, if not decades, in the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Seven hundred twenty-five thousand deaths. And the count continues. This is not an abstract number. These are human beings. Children. Mothers. Fathers. Each with a story, dreams, and people who love them. And all because Trump decided that humanitarian aid was not a priority. I wonder if he himself realizes the magnitude of what he has done. If he’s ever spent even a second imagining the face of a mother holding her child as it dies because of his decision. I bet he hasn’t. To him, these people are nothing but statistics. Numbers on an Excel spreadsheet. There’s a cold, calculated cruelty in this decision. And a profound ignorance of the real consequences of his actions.

The Devastating Consequences on the Ground

The shutdown of USAID has had immediate and devastating consequences in many countries dependent on U.S. aid. HIV/AIDS programs have been suspended, leaving millions of people without access to life-saving medications. Vaccination initiatives have ceased, paving the way for potentially catastrophic epidemics. Projects to provide access to clean water and sanitation have been abandoned, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. Food security programs have been eliminated, exacerbating hunger in regions already affected by drought and conflict.

International humanitarian organizations have expressed their dismay at this decision. The United Nations World Food Programme has warned that the reduction in U.S. aid would endanger the lives of millions of people. NGOs on the ground have reported that they can no longer provide the essential services that save lives on a daily basis. The closure of USAID has also weakened the United States’ diplomatic standing around the world, reducing its ability to exert positive influence and promote stability in vulnerable regions. Many foreign policy experts have warned that this vacuum could be filled by other global powers, notably China and Russia, seeking to expand their influence.

I remember reading a story about a little girl in East Africa who had to walk several kilometers every day to fetch clean water from a well funded by USAID. With the agency’s closure, that well will no longer be maintained. Soon, it will run dry. And that little girl will have to go back to drinking contaminated water. She’ll get sick. She could die. All because Trump decided that humanitarian aid was a waste of money. It’s a crime against humanity, period. History will judge. But in the meantime, human beings are suffering. They are dying. And Trump sleeps peacefully in his gilded bed. There are times when I wonder how he can sleep at night. Then I remember: he has no conscience.

Section 3: The Attack on SNAP

A Historic Program Under Attack

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the successor to the food stamp program launched under the Kennedy administration, is facing sustained attacks from the Trump administration. Following the first food stamp program, which operated from 1939 to 1943, the Kennedy administration launched a pilot program in 1961, inspired by the widespread poverty Kennedy had witnessed in West Virginia during the previous year’s Democratic primaries. By January 1964, less than two months after his assassination, the program included 380,000 participants spread across 22 states, becoming permanent later that year with the passage of the Food Stamp Act.

The damage Trump inflicted on the program remains ongoing and is still being assessed. His One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, included $186 billion in cuts—about 20% of its funding—which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected would result in the loss or significant reduction of benefits for four million people. In December 2025, the administration threatened to withhold SNAP administrative funds from Democratic-controlled states if officials refused to provide data on recipients to the federal government, including names and immigration status. These measures disproportionately impact families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on SNAP for food.

I’ve seen people wait in line for hours to receive food assistance. Fathers who’ve lost their jobs. Single mothers working two jobs but still not earning enough to feed their children. Seniors who have to choose between buying food or paying for their medications. SNAP isn’t charity. It’s a lifeline. And Trump wants to cut it. Why? To pay for tax cuts for billionaires? To fund his delusions of grandeur? There is something deeply immoral about a government that feeds the rich but starves the poor. Kennedy understood that hunger is not a moral failure of individuals, but a failure of society. Trump doesn’t understand any of that. To him, the poor don’t deserve help. They only deserve to be blamed.

The Impact on American Families

Cuts to SNAP will have devastating consequences for millions of American families. Four million people will lose their benefits or see their benefits significantly reduced. These cuts come at a time when food inflation is at record highs, making it harder than ever for low-income families to afford healthy food. Food banks, already under strain, report that they will not be able to absorb the increased demand resulting from these cuts.

Economics and public health experts warn that reduced access to adequate nutrition will have long-term consequences for children’s health and development. Childhood malnutrition can lead to cognitive development problems, stunted growth, and poor health throughout life. Furthermore, food insecurity is linked to mental health issues, reduced academic performance, and lower economic productivity. Cuts to SNAP will ultimately cost society more in the long run, both in terms of healthcare costs and lost productivity. Despite these warnings, the Trump administration persists in its policy of cutting social programs.

There’s a photo that haunts me. It’s of an American child, with dark circles under his eyes, sadly staring at his empty tray in the school cafeteria. This is America in 2026. The world’s largest economic power, and children are going hungry. How did we get here? Trump would say it’s the parents’ fault. That they should work harder. That they don’t deserve help. But that’s not true. Most SNAP recipients work. They have jobs. But wages haven’t kept pace with inflation. The cost of living has skyrocketed. And instead of helping them, Trump is crushing them. There’s a particular cruelty in targeting children—those who have no control over their situation. It’s a sign of an empty soul—of a man who has lost all capacity for empathy.

Section 4: The Attack on Head Start

An Education Program Under Threat

Head Start, another initiative launched during the Kennedy White House and established as a federal program in 1965 to serve low-income families, has also come under threat. Trump’s initial budget proposed eliminating the program entirely, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began closing several regional offices and reorganizing the program. In May 2025, he promised Congress that the administration would not cut funding. But in July, The New York Times reported that congressional investigators had determined that the administration had illegally withheld $12 billion in funding for the federal child care program for about three months.

Although this appears to have been resolved, a report by the Government Accountability Office, which provides federal oversight, “found that the government’s actions may have caused immense financial hardship” for child care agencies and, by extension, the families they serve. Secretary Kennedy also restricted undocumented immigrants’ access to Head Start, and in December 2025, it was revealed that centers had been ordered to avoid using a list of nearly 200 words and phrases, including “accessible,” “disability,” “minority,” “Black,” “tribal,” “female,” and “women.” Critics argue that these directives further marginalize the already vulnerable populations the program is meant to serve.

Head Start. This program has changed millions of lives. I’ve met adults who will tell you that without Head Start, they would never have gone to college. They would never have had the opportunities they have today. This isn’t just childcare. It’s an investment in the future. And Trump wants to destroy it. Why? Because he doesn’t believe poor children deserve a chance? Because he thinks education is a luxury? Or simply because it’s a Democratic program, and therefore everything Democratic must be destroyed? It’s a punitive policy. Revenge on a small scale. And RFK Jr. is playing along. He’s dismantling his own uncle’s program. It’s a betrayal—both familial and ideological.

The Impact on Children and Families

Head Start provides comprehensive educational, health, nutritional, and social services to low-income children from birth to age five. The program plays a crucial role in preparing children for school by providing them with fundamental literacy and numeracy skills, as well as a safe and stimulating environment. Research shows that children who participate in Head Start achieve better academic outcomes, have higher graduation rates, and enjoy better career prospects than children who do not participate.

Reducing access to Head Start, particularly for children of undocumented immigrants, will create additional educational disparities. The children who need these services the most will be the hardest hit. Child care agencies that have faced financial difficulties due to delayed funding may be forced to close or scale back their services, leaving families without affordable child care options. The effects of these cuts will be felt for years to come, as a generation of children will be denied the quality early childhood education they need to succeed. Education experts warn that these policies will ultimately cost society dearly, both in terms of remedial costs and lost productivity.

There is something particularly cruel about targeting early childhood education. It’s like stealing their future before they’ve even begun to build it. Head Start isn’t just an educational program. It’s an equalizer. It gives disadvantaged children a chance to compete with their more privileged peers. And Trump wants to take that chance away. He wants to ensure that wealth and privilege remain concentrated in the hands of a few. This is elitism, plain and simple. And RFK Jr., who poses as a defender of the oppressed, is actively participating in this destruction. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. He presents himself as a hero of the people while dismantling the programs that help the most vulnerable. It is outright betrayal.

Section 5: The War on Vaccines

RFK Jr. Takes on Public Health

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Secretary of Health and Human Services, is actively working to dismantle a vaccination system that his uncle played a key role in establishing. In 1962, President Kennedy signed the Vaccination Assistance Act, which ensured that all children under the age of five, regardless of income, could receive vaccines against polio, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. Three years later, the bill was amended to cover the new measles vaccine, which was first authorized in 1963.

Today, under the watch of Secretaries Kennedy and Trump, a measles outbreak continues to spread, with more than 2,000 cases reported in 2025—the highest number in 33 years. Dan Jernigan, who headed the vaccine safety office at the Centers for Disease Control before resigning in protest against the administration’s public health policies, told the Washington Post that Secretary Kennedy aims to “increase the risk, downplay the benefits, sow confusion, and reduce the use” of vaccines. This anti-vaccination approach runs counter to decades of scientific consensus and endangers public health in the United States.

Measles. A disease we had virtually eliminated. And now it’s coming back. Why? Because RFK Jr. decided that science didn’t matter. That his theories mattered more than children’s health. There is a bitter irony in all of this. JFK signed the Vaccination Assistance Act to protect children. His nephew, appointed by Trump, is destroying that legacy. And meanwhile, children are getting sick. Some are dying. From a preventable disease. It’s criminal. It’s gross negligence. And Trump, who claims to protect Americans, is letting this happen. Worse, he’s encouraging it. He promised RFK Jr. to “loosen the reins” on vaccines. He’s getting what he wants: the deaths of children. It’s grotesque.

The Consequences for Public Health

The 2025 measles outbreak is just the beginning of the consequences of the administration’s anti-vaccination policy. Public health experts warn that declining vaccination rates will lead to the resurgence of other vaccine-preventable diseases, including mumps, rubella, and polio. These diseases can have serious consequences, ranging from infertility to paralysis and death. Communities with lower vaccination rates—particularly those targeted by anti-vaccination misinformation—are at the highest risk.

Misinformation about vaccines, spread by Secretary Kennedy and amplified by Trump, has also eroded trust in public health institutions. More and more parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, endangering not only their own families but also the community as a whole. Herd immunity, which protects those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, is being compromised. Experts warn that if this trend continues, we could see massive outbreaks of diseases we thought were a thing of the past. The human and economic cost of these outbreaks will be enormous, but the administration seems determined to pursue its ideological policy despite the scientific evidence.

I remember when I was a child, my parents would talk about polio as a nightmare from their childhood. Children on ventilators. Lives shattered. Thanks to vaccines, that fear disappeared. I grew up without ever knowing that terror. And now, we may be heading back there. Why? Because RFK Jr. decided he knew better than doctors. That Google was better than science. That’s pure arrogance. And what bothers me the most is that he’s doing this in the name of “health.” He claims to be protecting children while exposing them to deadly diseases. It’s hypocrisy at its worst. And Trump, who doesn’t care about science, the truth, or human lives, is encouraging him. There are words for this. “Crimes against humanity” might be a bit strong, but not that much.

Section 6: The Attack on the NICHD

Destroying Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Legacy

Along with Trump, Secretary Kennedy is also attacking the life’s work of his aunt, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was an advocate for children’s health and the rights of people with intellectual disabilities. As the founder of the Special Olympics, Shriver also played a pivotal role in the creation of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), which President Kennedy signed into law in 1962 and which Congress named in Shriver’s honor in 2007. Since her nephew took the helm at HHS, the NICHD has undergone a wave of staff cuts, including the Safe to Sleep initiative, a public awareness campaign launched in 1994 that sought to prevent sleep-related infant deaths.

The NICHD conducts crucial research on child health, human development, genetic diseases, and developmental disorders. Researchers at the institute have made significant breakthroughs in understanding and treating sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), premature infants, and autism spectrum disorders. Staff and funding cuts threaten to slow or halt this vital research. Child health experts warn that these cuts will have devastating consequences for the children and families who depend on the discoveries and treatments developed through NICHD research.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver dedicated her life to people with intellectual disabilities. She founded the Special Olympics to give them a chance to shine, to be seen, and to be valued. She fought against stigma. She changed lives. And her nephew, RFK Jr., is destroying her legacy. He is cutting funding to the institute that bears her name. He’s eliminating programs that save lives. Why? Because Trump told him to? Because he wants to prove his loyalty? There’s a profound family betrayal at play here. A nephew erasing his aunt’s legacy. It’s almost Shakespearean. But not in the grand tradition. In the tradition of horror stories.

The Impact on Medical Research

The research conducted by the NICHD has direct implications for children’s health and well-being. The institute funds studies on the causes and treatments of childhood diseases, develops guidelines for neonatal care, and supports the training of pediatricians and researchers. Funding cuts will mean that less research can be conducted, that potential discoveries will be delayed or canceled, and that families will wait longer for life-saving treatments.

The Safe to Sleep initiative, which has been scaled back, has played a crucial role in reducing the rate of SIDS in the United States. The campaign has educated parents on safe sleep practices, such as putting babies to sleep on their backs, using a firm sleeping surface, and avoiding soft objects in the crib. Researchers fear that scaling back this campaign will lead to an increase in the number of SIDS deaths—a tragedy that is all the more preventable. Similarly, cuts to research on autism and other developmental disorders mean that families will have to wait longer for answers and treatments. Cuts to the NICHD are essentially cuts to the future of American children’s health.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Every parent fears it. We wake up several times a night to check that our baby is breathing. It’s a visceral terror. Safe to Sleep has saved thousands of lives by teaching parents how to protect their babies. And now, this program is being scaled back. Why? To save a few dollars? To satisfy Trump’s ideology? How many babies will have to die before someone says, “Enough is enough”? How many parents will have to lose their child before this madness stops? RFK Jr. presents himself as a champion of children’s health. But his actions say the opposite. He is sacrificing lives on the altar of ideology. This is inexcusable.

Section 7: The Reversal of Robert F. Kennedy's Legacy

From Defending the Oppressed to Persecution

Secretary Kennedy’s father, New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy, championed the rights of people of color, Native Americans, migrant workers, Appalachians, and people living in poverty, and he promoted human rights around the world—in Europe, Latin America, and, most famously, in South Africa, where he spoke out against apartheid. In March 1968, the senator addressed migrant workers in support of Cesar Chavez in Delano, California. His speech was optimistic and full of hope, promising to “fight together.” He said, “You stand for justice, and I am proud to stand with you. Viva La Causa.”

Trump’s rhetoric and actions are the direct antithesis of Senator Kennedy’s speech. Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on farms and orchards, and in cities across the country, leave no doubt that he views migrant workers and undocumented immigrants not as partners in a struggle for justice but as adversaries to be rounded up and deported en masse. The administration has implemented stricter immigration policies, including the separation of families at the border, restrictions on asylum, and the expansion of expedited deportations without due process. These policies run counter to Robert F. Kennedy’s legacy of compassion and advocacy for the oppressed.

RFK was the voice of the voiceless. He marched with migrant workers. He stood before crowds in South Africa to denounce apartheid. He risked his life for justice. And now his son, RFK Jr., is working with a man who treats immigrants like criminals. Who separates them from their children. Locks them in cages. There is a profound betrayal in this. A son who is erasing his father’s legacy. Who is working with the enemies of everything his father stood for. It’s almost incomprehensible. How can anyone betray his father’s memory like this? How can anyone sell out to the enemy? But RFK Jr. did just that. He sold out to Trump for a little power. And the price was paid by thousands of persecuted immigrants.

The Consequences for Vulnerable Communities

The Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have had devastating consequences for vulnerable communities. Families have been separated, children have been traumatized, and workers have lived in constant fear of deportation. Raids on farms have disrupted the U.S. food supply chain, threatening food security and driving up prices. Cities that rely on immigrant labor have seen their economies suffer.

Furthermore, restrictive asylum policies have forced people fleeing violence and persecution to return to dangerous situations. Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases of people being returned to violence—including murders and assaults—after having sought asylum in the United States but being deported without due process. The administration has also restricted access to social services for undocumented immigrants, including access to healthcare and education. These policies have created a climate of fear and mistrust within immigrant communities, making it difficult for victims of crime or abuse to seek help from the authorities.

I’ve seen images of children in cages. Children crying. Calling out for their mothers. This is America in 2026. The land of the free? Not for these children. The land of the oppressed? Yes, for them. Trump has created a system of systemic cruelty. And RFK Jr. is part of that system. He stands beside Trump as he signs orders that tear families apart. He approves. He supports. It’s a betrayal of everything his father stood for. Bobby Kennedy would be outraged. He’d be angry. He’d fight back. His son? He’s collaborating. That’s the difference between a man of honor and a man without principles. And we’re all paying the price.

Section 8: The Attack on Obamacare and CHIP

Destroying Ted Kennedy’s “Life’s Work”

Ted Kennedy, whose influence is evident in nearly every piece of progressive legislation from the early 1960s until his death from brain cancer in 2009—including the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and hate crime legislation—was best known for championing what he called “the cause of my life”: “ensuring that every American—north, south, east, west, young, old—will have decent health care as a fundamental right and not as a privilege.” What we know as Obamacare could easily be called Teddycare, and Trump’s attacks on the program—as well as on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which Kennedy introduced—strike at the heart of the Massachusetts senator’s legacy.

Trump did not live to see the Affordable Care Act signed into law by Barack Obama, but his decades of steadfast advocacy, coalition-building, and political influence—not to mention his leadership of the committee staff—ensured that he would be among its architects. Trump’s ongoing attacks on the program—his continuous efforts to cut off its funding, the elimination of subsidies under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and his refusal to expand them—as well as his attacks on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which Kennedy introduced, run counter to the Massachusetts senator’s legacy. These policies have the effect of denying access to health care to millions of Americans who need it.

Ted Kennedy spent his life fighting for healthcare for all. He called it “his life’s work.” And now Trump is trying to destroy that legacy. Why? Because it was the work of a Democrat? Because insurance companies make more profit when people aren’t covered? There is something deeply immoral about denying people healthcare. About letting them suffer and die because they don’t have enough money. Kennedy understood that healthcare is not a privilege. It is a right. Trump doesn’t understand any of that. For him, it’s all about profit. About personal gain. The health of Americans is nothing more than a bargaining chip in his political game.

The Impact on Americans’ Health

The attacks on the Affordable Care Act have had direct consequences for Americans’ health. Millions of people have lost their health insurance or have seen their premiums rise significantly. Protections for people with pre-existing conditions have been weakened, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination by insurance companies. Cuts to Medicaid have reduced access to care for low-income Americans, particularly in states that refused to expand the program under the ACA.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to millions of children from families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. Cuts to CHIP mean that these children will lose access to preventive health care, dental and vision care, and essential medical treatments. Public health experts warn that these policies will lead to an increase in preventable illnesses, premature deaths, and an overall decline in public health in the United States. The costs of these policies in terms of human suffering and economic losses will be enormous.

I knew a woman who had to choose between buying insulin and paying her rent. She had diabetes. Without insulin, she would die. But her insurance didn’t cover the full cost. She died. This is America in 2026. People are dying because they can’t afford their medications. And Trump wants it to get worse. He wants to destroy the ACA. He wants to go back to the days when insurance companies could refuse to cover people because they were sick. This is a policy of pure cruelty. And Ted Kennedy, who spent his life fighting against this, must be turning in his grave. His nephew, RFK Jr., is participating in this destruction. He is contributing to the deaths of thousands of people. It’s a betrayal of everything the Kennedy family stands for.

Section 9: The Disappearance of Camelot's Aesthetic

The Destruction of the Rose Garden

Throughout his second term, Trump has not confined himself to the realm of politics when it comes to the enduring influence of the Kennedys. He seems determined to erase the aesthetic symbolism and history of Camelot. Jacqueline Kennedy famously told Life magazine, “Everything in the White House must have a reason for being there,” as she began her renowned restoration of the White House, which, after decades of neglect, resembled the lobby of a mid-range hotel. “It would be sacrilege to simply redecorate it—a word I hate. It must be restored, and that has nothing to do with decoration. It’s a matter of scholarship.”

Historical preservation was at the heart of the First Lady’s agenda, as she and her staff—along with a multitude of contacts in the fine arts world—tracked down furniture and works of art that had once resided in the White House or that would highlight the residence’s “evolving nature” and “living character.” Minimalism, which was the foundation of Jacqueline Kennedy’s personal style, was essential. “No other residence so significantly reflects the struggles and aspirations of the American people,” she emphasized in a memo, and the building’s “unique blend of dignity and simplicity” was paramount.

The Rose Garden. It was more than a garden. It was a symbol. A place where presidents addressed the nation. Where JFK announced historic decisions. Where Jacqueline created a space of beauty and serenity. Trump destroyed it. He paved it over. He installed coffee tables and umbrellas. He turned it into a private club terrace. This is a destruction of our heritage. An erasure of history. Why? Because he has no taste? Because he wants to mark his territory? Probably both. He doesn’t understand that the White House doesn’t belong to him. That it belongs to the American people. That it houses centuries of history. All that matters to him is his ego.

The Destruction of the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden

In October 2025, without warning or the required approval from the National Capital Planning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts, demolition began on the East Wing of the White House, which was built in 1902 under Theodore Roosevelt and housed the First Lady’s office. Trump’s action was so shocking that an important detail was overlooked in much of the media coverage: he had also destroyed the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, which ran along the colonnade of the East Wing and had been dedicated to the former First Lady in 1965. In its place—and that of the East Wing—will stand a massive gilded ballroom—so large that it promises to overshadow the White House itself.

The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was a peaceful and elegant green space, designed by the former First Lady as a place of reflection and beauty. It was home to historic plants, mature trees, and architectural features that had been part of the White House’s history for over a century. Its destruction represents an irreparable loss to the White House’s historical heritage. Architects and historians have condemned this action as a violation of historic preservation and an affront to the memory of Jacqueline Kennedy.

The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. A garden dedicated to a woman who devoted her life to preserving the history of the White House. And Trump destroyed it. He brought in bulldozers. He razed everything to the ground. To build a gilded ballroom. A ballroom. Who’s going to use it? His wealthy friends? His loyal supporters? Not the American people. It’s theft. The theft of history. A theft of beauty. And he did it without asking permission. Without consulting the historic preservation commissions. Just because he could. Because he’s president and he believes that gives him the right to destroy whatever he wants. It’s pure tyranny. And the worst part is that he thinks he’s making things better. He really thinks a gilded ballroom is better than a historic garden. It’s enough to make you cry.

Section 10: The Transformation of Air Force One

The JFK Design Redesign

Finally, there’s Air Force One. In 2018, his plans to redesign the color scheme for the next version of the aircraft were revealed. Instead of the iconic white and dove-blue colors chosen by President Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, Trump favored a “more American” color scheme: red, white, and dark blue—the very colors that adorn his personal plane. While in office, Joe Biden had ordered that the new fleet, which had been contracted to Boeing, retain the Kennedy colors. But upon returning to the presidency, Trump grew impatient with the pace of construction and decided instead to accept a Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari royal family that would feature his preferred color scheme.

The original Air Force One design, with its white-and-blue color scheme, had become a symbol of the U.S. presidency and an emblem of dignity and calm. Trump’s design, with its darker, more aggressive colors, has been criticized by design experts as less elegant and less appropriate for a presidential aircraft. The cost of this modification, along with the decision to accept a used aircraft rather than a new one, has raised questions about the safety and reliability of the presidential aircraft.

Air Force One. The most recognizable plane in the world. A symbol of the U.S. presidency. JFK designed it with Jacqueline to be elegant. Dignified. Recognizable. Trump wants to change it. Because he doesn’t like blue. Because he wants red, white, and blue. Because he wants the plane to look like his private jet. There’s something deeply childish about this. Like a child who wants all his toys to reflect his own image. He doesn’t understand that the presidency isn’t about him. That these symbols don’t belong to him. That they belong to the American people. He wants to change everything. To leave his mark on everything. As if he could erase history and replace it with his own.

The Consequences of the Decision

Trump’s decision to accept a used plane rather than a new one has raised concerns about presidential security. Presidential aircraft are subject to extremely strict security and communications standards, and it is unclear whether the Qatari aircraft meets these standards. Furthermore, the cost of converting the aircraft to meet Air Force One specifications could ultimately exceed the cost of building a new one.

The new color scheme has also been criticized for its inconsistency with the traditional image of the U.S. presidency. The white and dove-blue Air Force One has appeared in countless movies, television shows, and news reports over the past six decades, becoming a global symbol of the U.S. presidency. Trump’s design, with its darker colors, risks being less recognizable and less distinctive. Furthermore, the abandonment of the Kennedy design represents yet another affront to the legacy of the Kennedy family, which helped shape the image of the U.S. presidency for decades.

I’ve seen photos of the new Air Force One design. It looks like an ordinary commercial airliner. Nothing special. Nothing dignified. It’s just a plane painted in patriotic colors. JFK understood that greatness doesn’t come from colors. It comes from design. From elegance. From simplicity. Trump doesn’t understand any of that. He thinks that the bigger and more colorful it is, the better. It’s the same lack of taste that has turned the White House into a kitschy palace. It’s sad, really. America deserves better than that. It deserves leaders who understand and respect its history. Not someone who treats the presidency as his personal property.

Section 11: The Psychology of Trump's War

The Desire for a Dynasty

The Kennedys have long been regarded as America’s royalty, a fact that must irritate Trump—who is image-conscious and thin-skinned—and who sees himself as a monarch in all but name. In his mind, there is room for only one dynasty in American politics: his own. The notion of Camelot in the national collective memory represents—as Jacqueline Kennedy intended when she described it to Life magazine journalist Theodore H. White in the days following her husband’s assassination—an era of charisma, glamour, and vigor that revolutionized American politics. In other words, everything Trump dreams of—as well as other qualities in which he has never seemed interested, including a tradition of public service, intellectual curiosity, debate, and an appreciation for history, literature, and the arts.

Sixty-two years after his assassination, Kennedy remains the country’s most popular modern president, with a 90% approval rating. Trump, who has never achieved such a level of popularity, seems determined to destroy what makes the Kennedys so beloved: their commitment to public service, their intellect, their style, and their contribution to American culture and the arts. By attacking the Kennedys, Trump is in fact attacking the values they represent: compassion, intelligence, culture, and selfless service. It is a war not only against a family, but against a certain idea of America.

Trump wants to be king. He wants to be the only dynasty. The Kennedys annoy him. They are loved. They are respected. They have a history of public service. He, on the other hand, has a history of fraud, ego, and lies. So he attacks them. He tries to destroy their legacy. He thinks that by erasing the Kennedys, he will become the only American dynasty. But it doesn’t work that way. Love cannot be commanded. Respect cannot be bought. History cannot be erased. Trump can try as hard as he wants to destroy the Kennedys; they will remain in the hearts and minds of Americans. He, on the other hand, will go down in history as a president who tried to destroy everything that is good about America.

The Psychological Need for Domination

Trump’s war against the Kennedys can also be understood as a manifestation of his psychological need for domination. Trump, who has built his career and public persona around the image of a winner, cannot tolerate the existence of other winners—especially those who are loved and respected for reasons other than wealth and power. By attacking the Kennedys, Trump is trying to elevate himself by belittling them, to win by comparison rather than by merit.

This need for dominance is evident in all of Trump’s actions against the Kennedys: he renames their monuments, destroys their gardens, cancels their programs, and attacks their family even in their darkest hour. It is a campaign of systematic destruction aimed at erasing every trace of the Kennedy legacy. However, this war could well backfire on him. The Kennedys are deeply rooted in American culture and history, and Trump’s attempts to destroy them may well strengthen their legacy rather than weaken it. Ultimately, Trump’s war against the Kennedys says more about him than it does about them: it reveals his insecurities, his envy, and his inability to tolerate any form of greatness other than his own.

It’s pathetic, really. Trump wants it all. He wants to be the richest. The most powerful. The most loved. But he can’t have it all. He can be rich. He can be powerful. But he can’t be loved. Not really. Not with his empty heart. Not with his cruelty. The Kennedys were loved because they believed in something greater than themselves. Trump believes only in Trump. And you can see that. You can feel it. People aren’t stupid. They know when someone is genuine and when someone is a fraud. Trump is trying to destroy the Kennedys because he’s jealous. Jealous of their love. Jealous of their respect. Jealous of their legacy. But a legacy can’t be destroyed. It’s built. And the Kennedys have built a legacy that will last for centuries. Trump will leave nothing but ruins.

Conclusion: A War Doomed to Fail from the Start

The Indestructible Legacy of the Kennedys

Sixty-two years from now, Americans will not remember the Trump presidency with the fondness with which most recall—or imagine—the thousand days of John F. Kennedy’s administration. They will not speak of a family that, while human and imperfect, dedicated itself to public service, to improving lives, and to expanding the rights of the American people. The name Trump will be synonymous with an era of cruelty, easy profits, national trauma—and very bad taste. In contrast, the Kennedys’ legacy will continue to inspire future generations to dedicate themselves to public service, to defend the oppressed, and to celebrate the arts and culture.

The programs and policies initiated by the Kennedys—from peace to health care, civil rights, and the arts—have become woven into the fabric of American national life. They have changed millions of lives. They have made America a better place. Trump may try to dismantle these programs, but he cannot undo the impact they have had. He cannot erase history. The Kennedys will remain an integral part of the American identity, a constant reminder of what the country can be at its best.

When I look at what Trump has done, I feel a deep anger. An anger that burns in my chest. He is trying to destroy everything that is good about America. He is trying to extinguish the light. But he will fail. Light is stronger than darkness. Hope is stronger than despair. The Kennedy legacy will shine long after Trump is nothing more than a footnote in history. His attacks will only strengthen their memory. His cruelty will only highlight their kindness. Trump thinks he’s winning. But he’s losing. He’s losing every day he spends trying to destroy what he can never understand: the greatness that comes from service, not power. The love that comes from the heart, not from the ego.

The Price of Cruelty

Trump’s war against the Kennedys has taken a tremendous human toll. Thousands, perhaps millions, of people have suffered because of his policies: children who will not receive vaccinations, families who will lose their food assistance, immigrants who will be separated from their families, patients who will lose access to health care. These policies are not abstractions; they affect real lives. They cause real suffering.

Throughout history, tyrants have tried to erase the legacies of those they envy. But history teaches us that these attempts invariably fail. The Kennedys’ legacy of public service, compassion, and culture transcends politics and administrations. It is rooted in the hearts of the American people. Trump may try to destroy it, but he will not succeed. At best, he will only succeed in revealing the pettiness of his own character and the enduring greatness of the Kennedy legacy.

My thoughts are with Caroline Kennedy today. She lost her daughter on December 30. She had to endure Trump’s attacks that very same day. I don’t know how she does it. How she keeps going. But she does. With dignity. With grace. That’s what it means to be a Kennedy. That’s what it means to be a great person. Trump will never understand that. He’ll never understand the strength that comes from pain. The resilience that comes from adversity. He thinks strength is power. It’s money. It’s control. But he’s wrong. True strength is love. It’s compassion. It’s service. That’s what the Kennedys stand for. And that’s why Trump will lose. Because you can’t destroy love with hate. You can’t destroy light with darkness. The Kennedy legacy will endure. It must endure. For us. For America. For the future.

Sources

Primary sources

Salon, “Trump Has Declared War—on the Kennedys,” published January 4, 2026

People, “Donald Trump Attacks Kennedy Family on Truth Social Hours After Death of JFK’s Granddaughter Tatiana Schlossberg,” published December 30, 2025

CNN, “Kennedy Center board votes to rename it ‘Trump Kennedy Center’,” published December 18, 2025

Secondary sources

The Guardian, “Trump’s cultural coup at the Kennedy Center,” published December 31, 2025

New York Times, “Trump Kennedy Center Name Change Sparks Legal Battle,” published December 18, 2025

The New Yorker, “The shutdown of USAID has already killed hundreds of thousands,” published in November 2025

This content was created with the help of AI.

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