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JFK Library expected to reopen amid Trump’s funding chaos [1]
['Daily Kos Staff']
Date: 2025-02-19
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is expected to reopen on Wednesday after abruptly closing its doors Tuesday afternoon.
The sudden reversal comes after the library, which is run by the National Archives, said it would remain closed indefinitely. In a statement Tuesday, the JFK Library Foundation suggested that President Donald Trump’s effort to slash the federal workforce had forced the library to terminate employees who were critical to its operation.
“The sudden dismissal of federal employees at the JFK Library forced the museum to close today. As the Foundation that supports the JFK Library, we are devastated by this news and will continue to support our colleagues and the Library,” a statement from the foundation read.
But hours later, following pushback from members of the Kennedy family and the public, the National Archives said the library and museum would reopen on Wednesday.
“The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum will be open today, and the National Archives staff looks forward to welcoming guests, visitors, and researchers,” the agency said in a press release.
The JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.
The sudden turnaround illustrates the chaos stemming from Trump and tech bro Elon Musk’s effort to shrink the size of the federal workforce.
Late last week, the administration began targeting some 200,000 probationary workers who have fewer protections than other federal employees. The sweeping orders have left some industries scrambling, especially since the administration has attempted to fire—then rehire—workers, including those who work in nuclear safety and handle the government’s response to bird flu.
It seems that library staffers were initially affected by the Trump administration’s order to terminate probationary staff. Joe Kennedy III, a former congressman and grand-nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, said in an interview that the five affected employees were responsible for “the visitor experience” and other “revenue-generating” responsibilities.
“That’s the staff that is responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the library,” he said.
A source with knowledge of the situation told Politico that the library could not function “with that type of reduction.”
It’s unclear whether the library’s reopening means that those employees were rehired or other people will take over those responsibilities.
Daily Kos contacted the National Archives for comment but did not receive a response.
The National Archives oversees 16 presidential libraries and museums across the country. According to The Washington Post, the effects of Trump’s purge of probationary employees were not as severe at other facilities.
On Tuesday, when it seemed as though the JFK Library would stay shuttered for an extended period, members of the Kennedy family blasted the Trump administration.
Former Congressman Kennedy told the Post that “closing government libraries to try and fund a tax cut for the wealthy seems like a really bad way to balance the budget.”
“But par for the course for this administration,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, made his return to social media with multiple posts about the library’s sudden closure.
“STEALING HISTORY from the PEOPLE—our government is using PROPAGANDA TO CHANGE THE PAST. Today DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] SHUT DOWN the JFK LIBRARY… effective immediately and until further notice,” he wrote on Instagram.
Notably, there was radio silence from one of the more well-known members of the Kennedy family: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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