Camilla Jessen
Critics call Trump’s posts “cruel” after Kennedy death.
The death of a young member of America’s most famous political family prompted an outpouring of sympathy this week.
But just hours after the news broke, President Donald Trump chose a very different response.
Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of former President John F. Kennedy, died after a battle with cancer. The timing of Trump’s posts has since sparked widespread backlash.
A family loss
Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy, died on December 30, 2024, after suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia. Her family confirmed the news in a joint statement shared on social media.
“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the family wrote, signing the message with the names of her parents, siblings and relatives.
Messages of support quickly followed, with many expressing condolences to the Kennedy family.
Trump’s posts
Within hours of the announcement, President Trump shared several posts on his Truth Social platform attacking the Kennedy family.
While he did not mention Schlossberg by name, the timing of the posts drew immediate criticism.
Trump reposted comments from his followers accusing the Kennedys of neglecting the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
One post read: “The Kennedy Family have LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw. They don’t raise money for it. They never show up.”
Another repost stated: “The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys.”
Long-running feud
Tensions escalated earlier this month after Trump backed a move to rename the Kennedy Center as the Trump-Kennedy Center.
Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, publicly objected to the idea.
“The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law,” he said. “It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial.”
Trump has continued to defend the renaming, praising his own administration’s role in supporting the arts.
Public reaction
Criticism of Trump’s posts quickly spread online.
One user on X wrote: “Just hours after Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, tragically died, Donald Trump has launched a series of social media attacks against her family.”
CNN anchor Jake Tapper also condemned the president’s actions, calling them a “stunning display of cruelty” and dismissing the posts as “social media garbage.”
The White House has not commented on the backlash.
