Barbra Streisand slams Trump's 'unchecked ego' in Kennedy Center name fight

Barbra Streisand is calling out former President Donald Trump over a battle concerning the Kennedy Center's name. In a statement on her website, the singer and actor said watching the situation unfold has been "galling and painful."

According to Variety, Streisand, who was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2008, wrote that the recognition symbolized a core principle: that artistic expression is vital to a democratic society. She argued this is what makes the current controversy so distressing.

The outlet reports the remarks follow a judge's order for the center to give 30 days' notice before any demolition or new construction. This came after Trump reportedly threatened the institution could be "ripped down" without his support. A legal fight has ensued over attempts to rename it the "Trump-Kennedy Center."

Streisand's statement, per Variety, claims that after a judge ordered Trump's name removed, a "humiliated" Trump had a tarp placed over the building's facade. She alleges a Trump-aligned board continued to lobby for the name change, leading to another federal block.

She further stated that Trump has now announced the center is closing for a major renovation. "Oddly, when Trump’s name was still on the building, there was no discussion of closing it!" Streisand wrote.