The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston was forced to shut down on Tuesday due to the “sudden dismissal of federal employees,” the library’s foundation said.
The foundation expressed deep disappointment over the closure, stating, “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 notice posted on the library’s doors read, “Due to the executive order, the JFK Library will be closed until further notice.”
A source familiar with the situation told CNN that staff involved in public engagement and fundraising were dismissed as part of the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
The shutdown came just days after the government intensified efforts to cut federal jobs. On a call last week, agencies were instructed to move forward with layoffs of probationary employees.
President Donald Trump also signed an executive order directing federal agency leaders to “undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force.”
While the library initially confirmed that it would remain “temporarily closed until further notice,” the National Archives, which oversees the presidential library system, later announced that the facility would reopen on Wednesday.
However, the agency did not provide further details regarding staff reductions at the library. The White House also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Members of the Kennedy family criticized the closure.
Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, told CNN affiliate WBZ that the shutdown was a direct result of federal job cuts, warning, “When we start shutting down libraries in the name of government efficiency, we have got a problem.”
“I would like to think that it was not a deliberate target at the Kennedy Library, but I think what we’ve seen is that there is not exactly a whole lot of thought given to what are the consequences of these actions,” he said.
Jack Schlossberg, a grandson of John F. Kennedy, also denounced the decision, writing in an Instagram post that “it has nothing to do with government efficiency.”
The Kennedy Library is one of 16 institutions in the Presidential Library System. It receives annual federal funding for maintenance and “a portion of its personnel costs,” according to its website.
(CNN)
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