Barbra Streisand criticized President Donald Trump on September 17, 2026, after a board appointed by Trump voted to close the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The decision followed a federal judge’s block on adding Trump’s name to the Washington, D.C. landmark, escalating a fight over the institution’s identity, finances, and planned $257 million renovation. According to the board, the temporary closure is necessary because the center is facing bankruptcy and may not have enough money to pay its staff. Trump also threatened to cancel the $257 million renovation unless his name appeared on the building, according to the report. Why Is the Kennedy Center Closing? Streisand called the dispute painful and infuriating in a statement posted to her website. The singer, who became a Kennedy Center honoree in 2008, said the venue represents the role of art in a democracy, not a branding opportunity for one powerful person. Streisand also criticized the tarp placed over the facade after the judge ordered Trump’s name removed, describing the moment as a symbol of wounded pride. She argued that the center was created to honor President John F. Kennedy and defend the idea that creative freedom strengthens society, then urged Americans to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.