Documents Show 'Beloved' Kennedy Center Statue Targeted by Trump Administration for Removal

Remember how ace podcaster Jim Acosta hung out with a camera in front of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts so he could livestream Trump’s name on the facade coming down? “This is very much like watching the Berlin Wall coming down," he said, adding, "It is a sign that humankind can stand up against tyranny." In August, the Kennedy Center Board voted to add "Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump" under the building’s name. They also voted to name the plaza in front of the center after Trump and close the venue for two years while renovations take place. An angry Acosta demanded that those involved be jailed.

Stay with us for a moment as we take you back to August 28, when three Confederate statues were taken down in Virginia’s Capitol Square.

This man, Hunter Holmes McGuire, was a surgeon in the Confederate army who saved countless lives, on both sides. He later served as president of the American Medical Association. This is madness. https://t.co/26lYpWTZT5
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) August 28, 2026

Liberals are big fans of statues being taken down, but Neal Augenstein, a reporter for WTOP in Washington, seems to think there's something political behind the removal of the statue "Blue" from the Kennedy Center.

The Kennedy Center hasn’t announced why the statue, "Blue" is being removed but NYT says internal documents show it was targeted by Trump administration for removal. pic.twitter.com/1bEqVBCPlG
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) September 2, 2026

The New York Times reports:

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts will remove a major outdoor sculpture from the center’s grounds on Wednesday. The work, installed in 2019, was targeted for elimination after President Trump’s takeover of the center, according to internal documents obtained by The New York Times.
The Kennedy Center made no advance announcement of its plans to remove the towering, vivid blue metal sculpture of a stick-like human figure, called “Blue.” A street closure to facilitate the removal will begin before dawn, according to a public notice from the National Park Service.
The Kennedy Center confirmed in a statement that the sculpture was being deinstalled and that a foundation dedicated to the artist would determine its next location. It did not say the reason for the removal.
“We are deeply grateful to Joel Shapiro for the years ‘Blue’ has spent animating our campus and connecting visitors to his vision,” the statement said. “We are honored to have been stewards of his vibrant work and a part of his enduring legacy.”