As the Kennedy family grieved the death of Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and granddaughter of John F. Kennedy, Donald Trump used social media to amplify posts mocking the family, drawing sharp criticism for his timing and tone.
Tatiana Schlossberg died Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the age of 35, just weeks after publicly revealing she had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The news was shared by the social media accounts of the JFK Library Foundation on behalf of her family, including her husband, Dr. George Moran, and their two young children, Edwin and Josephine.
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“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the statement read. It was signed by “George, Edwin, and Josephine Moran, Ed, Caroline, Jack, Ros,e and Rory.”
While Trump did not directly reference Tatiana’s death, he posted screenshots of MAGA supporters attacking the Kennedys over their opposition to his decision to add his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a historic venue established as a memorial to JFK after his assassination in 1963.
“The Kennedy Family has LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw,” one post Trump shared claimed. “They don’t raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who has been there recently is a member of Trump’s cabinet.” Another read, “The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys.”
Earlier this month, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the Kennedy Center board had “voted unanimously” to rename the venue the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” Crews quickly added Trump’s name above the original inscription. However, the move sparked immediate backlash.
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Tatiana’s brother, Jack Schlossberg, disputed the White House’s claim, writing that “microphones were muted” during the vote and that the decision was “NOT unanimous.” His account was echoed by Joyce Beatty, who serves as an ex officio board member.
“For the record. This was not unanimous. I was muted on the call and not allowed to speak or voice my opposition to this move,” Beatty wrote. “This is censorship.” Other family members emphasized that the issue goes beyond politics. Joe Kennedy III wrote that the Kennedy Center “is a living memorial to a fallen president” and argued it cannot be renamed by executive action.
As Trump continued circulating attacks, Kennedy relatives focused instead on mourning. Maria Shriver shared a lengthy tribute. “I return to this space today to pay tribute to my sweet, beloved Tatiana,” Shriver wrote. “I cannot make sense of this. I cannot make any sense of it at all.”
While political tensions flared online, the family’s public messages centered on loss, love, and remembering a life cut short.
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