Memories of Tatyana Schlossberg will forever remain fresh in her mother's heart, Caroline Kennedy .
The former US ambassador had tears in her eyes as she delivered an emotional speech at the annual John F. Kennedy Courage Award ceremony. She recalled the remarkable work her daughter accomplished before her death last year.
Caroline Kennedy's daughter died on December 30, 2025, after battling a rare and aggressive form of bone marrow cancer. Tatyana Schlossberg's death touched the hearts of many, but not President Donald Trump, who, just hours after the announcement of her death, launched an angry tirade on social media, attacking the Kennedy family.
The death of Tatyana Schlossberg left a void in her mother's heart. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Kennedy delivered a moving speech at the annual John F. Kennedy Courage Award ceremony, held at her father's presidential library. In her speech, she honored the memory of her late daughter, who passed away six months earlier, recalling her work.
Fighting back tears, the former ambassador paid tribute to her late daughter, saying, "Most of all, we remember Tatiana, who served on the board of this library and embodied everything my parents stood for in their wonderful, amazing, and all-too-short lives.".
Her words touched the crowd of more than 500 people, who applauded Schlossberg for nearly 20 seconds, while Kennedy, gathering her strength, quietly said "thank you" to the audience amid the applause.
She expressed gratitude to her late daughters' in-laws, Garrett and Mary Moran, who are the parents of Schlossberg's husband, George Moran, a physician with whom she had two young children.
As PEOPLE reports, later in his speech, the 68-year-old politician also paid tribute to Renee Goode and Alex Pretty, who were killed by ICE agents in January.
Caroline Kennedy's daughter spoke out for a good cause before her death.
Schlossberg was a journalist and writer specializing in environmental issues. Before her death, she wrote a heartbreaking essay for The New Yorker magazine, in which she lifted the veil on her fatal illness and shared her memories of the decades of tragedies that haunted the extended Kennedy family.
She also criticized her estranged cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Bobby), for the harm she said he caused with his attacks on the U.S. health care system and his alliance with Trump. In an essay published about a month before her death, Schlossberg wrote:
«"I watched from my hospital room as Bobby, against all logic and common sense, was appointed to this position, despite having never worked in medicine, health care, or government.".
She also said Bobby had cut nearly half a billion dollars in funding earmarked for research into mRNA vaccines and technologies that could be used against some types of cancer.
Schlossberg added that he "cut billions of dollars in funding for the National Institutes of Health, the world's largest funder of medical research, and threatened to remove a panel of medical experts tasked with recommending preventative cancer screenings.".
The journalist died after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia. A memorial service in his honor was held on January 5 at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in New York City.
President Donald Trump showed no sympathy for Tatyana Schlossberg.
Jim LoScalzo – Pool via CNP / MEGA
Shortly after Schlossberg's death was announced, Trump took to social media to ridicule the Kennedy clan.
The politician demonstrated his tactlessness on social media, where he shared screenshots of MAGA supporters mocking Kennedy after the Kennedy Center was renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center.
While Trump did not directly mention the journalist, the timing of the release raised eyebrows, as it came just hours after the announcement that Schlossberg's body had cooled.
«"By the way, the Kennedy family has been neglecting the Kennedy Center for a LONG time. They don't raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who's been there recently is a member of Trump's cabinet," one of the screenshots read.
The Blast reported that, instead of commenting on the US president's actions, the late journalist's cousin, Maria Shriver, paid tribute to her online, noting that the family did everything possible for Schlossberg.
A well-known media figure criticized Trump's actions.
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Jake Tapper, CNN's top Washington anchor, responded to the president's insensitive post, calling him "a social media parasite attacking the Kennedy family.".
User Tapper reposted screenshots of Trump's posts, some of which read, "Trumps have always supported the arts. Kennedys support Kennedys." In another screenshot, the user claimed the Kennedys don't raise funds for the Kennedy Center.
Another user noted that several buildings, airports, and monuments are named after Kennedy, adding that it was fitting to place Trump's name in the center.
As KATV reports, a CNN anchor connected the dots in his post, writing: "Early in the day Eastern Time, the Kennedy family announced the death of John F. Kennedy's granddaughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, from cancer. A few hours later, President Trump reposted some anti-Kennedy nonsense on social media.".
Trump's decision to rename the Kennedy Center has been reversed.
Three days ago, BBC News reported that a US judge ordered Trump's name to be removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The judge ruled that renaming the facility is impossible without Congressional approval, meaning Trump's name must be removed from the facility's name, its facade, and any other physical or digital signage within 14 days.
Judge Christopher Cooper's ruling also states that the president's name must be removed from all official materials relating to the Performing Arts Center. The name will be restored to its original designation, as it was named when it opened in 1971 in memory of the assassinated US president.
«"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," Cooper's order stated, declaring invalid the name "The Donald J. Trump - John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts" affixed to the center's main portico.
In February, Trump announced the venue's closure for two years for extensive renovations, scheduled to begin on July 4. Following the renaming, many artists canceled their performances at the venue, and ticket sales plummeted.
Rest in peace, Tatyana Schlossberg!
The article "Caroline Kennedy still holding back tears six months after the death of her daughter Tatiana Schlossberg" first appeared on The Blast.