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Public disputes concerning cultural institutions, their programming, funding, governance, naming and physical facilities, and the artists and audiences who rely on them.
Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.
2 statements on this page. Dates: September 28, 2026
2 matching statements. Dates: September 28, 2026
2 published statements. Dates: September 28, 2026
2 published statements. Dates: September 28, 2026
2 statements on this page. Dates: September 28, 2026
Role at the time: U.S. senator from Oregon and co-lead of the bill
Statement summary
Merkley criticized Lee's objection to his request for immediate passage of the memorial-protection bill.
“a colleague objected to this common-sense bill”
Press release on Sen. Merkley's official website, dated September 28, 2026. It gives his statement after Sen. Mike Lee blocked his request to pass the Protecting Presidential Memorials Act by unanimous consent.
Merkley described the objection as unfortunate and the blocked bill as common-sense. His response rejects Lee's floor action.
Role at the time: U.S. senator from Oregon and ranking member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee
Statement summary
Sen. Jeff Merkley said in a statement that President Trump, without authorization from Congress, is trying to tear down the Kennedy Center because the law says Trump cannot put his name on the building. He made the statement after Sen. Mike Lee blocked his bill with Sen. Lisa Murkowski to bar the demolition of presidential memorials without an act of Congress.
“Perhaps the greatest living memorial for a president is the Kennedy Center, in honor of our slain president who championed the arts. But now President Trump—without authorization from Congress—is trying to tear it down. First, he destroyed its programming, and now, he wants to destroy the building itself. All because the law says Trump can’t put his name on the building.”
Press release on Sen. Merkley's official website, dated September 28, 2026. It gives his statement after Sen. Mike Lee blocked his request to pass the Protecting Presidential Memorials Act by unanimous consent.
The case asks whether Trump should link the Kennedy Center's renovation and future to recognition for his administration. Merkley said Trump is trying to tear the building down without authorization from Congress because the law bars Trump from putting his name on it, and said the threats are "straight out of the authoritarian playbook." That criticizes the link between recognition and the building's fate, so we labeled it Condemned.
