It’s been a busy week for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft amid his public dispute with Macklemore. Now, it’s also being reported by The Boston Globe that he’s involved with the Kennedy Center, particularly the attacks that President Donald Trump has made on the Kennedy Center.
Courts have not allowed Trump to add his name to the Kennedy Center. That’s since led to backlash from the president, who is attacking the performing arts center. That includes a new threat to literally tear down the Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center is often described as a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy. Not surprisingly, he’s a very popular President for many Patriots fans, given his status as a Massachusetts native. It opened in 1971 and has long since been a home to the arts. It was closed this September.
How New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft is Involved in the Kennedy Center
Donald Trump has made it very clear. He wants to do everything in his power to prevent the Kennedy Center from operating without his name on it. That includes closing it and refusing to fund repairs. But where does Patriots owner Robert Kraft become involved?
Trump is pushing the action. However, as Adrian Walker of The Boston Globe explained, “They have been rubber-stamped by a board packed with hand-picked cronies. Among those “cronies” is Dr. Dana Blumberg, Kraft’s wife.
Blumberg was appointed in February of 2025. Walker argues she has no qualifications besides being married to Kraft and a willingness to do what Trump wants.
That includes a vote on Tuesday to close the center. They didn’t take a roll call vote, to avoid recording official positions for members. However, The Washington Post reported that only three Democrats dissented. Representative Joyce Beatty, among the dissenters, is taking the issue to court. However, the wife of the Patriots owner voted to shut down the Kennedy Center.
Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Has Publicly Battled Macklemore
The news that Patriots owner Robert Kraft has some ties to attempts to dissolve the Kennedy Center, he’s also become very publicly involved in a dispute with the musician Macklemore. That was in the wake of Kraft pushing back on the idea that Macklemore continue to perform with Ed Sheeran on his tour, which is soon coming to Gillette Stadium.
Macklemore recently made headlines at one of the shows for saying, “Free Palestine.” It’s a reference to the conflict between Palestine and Israel, which has become hotly political. Some have accused Israel of genocide in the conflict, though there are also those who push back on that idea. Kraft is among those who consistently push back, both vocally and with his financial support of Israel.
Sheeran ran into issues. He tried to toe the line right down the middle and it’s led to plenty of pushback. Macklemore is off the tour. But so are his openers and backing band, who also chose to leave because of how Sheeran handled it.
The Patriots owner quickly found himself in the headlines over his decision to push back against Macklemore. In the wake of that, Macklemore would announce a $1 million donation relief in Palestine and challenge Kraft to do the same. That led to Kraft donating $2 million to “the region.” Kraft also noted that Sheeran already asked him to make the donation.
For the Patriots, it’s been a long week of headlines that go well beyond the type that NFL owners typically make. It doesn’t seem like things will die down soon, either.
Report: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Helping Donald Trump Attack Kennedy Center