1 week ago Conan O’Brien receives Mark Twain award amid Kennedy Center controversy

Comedian named as recipient shortly before Trump’s takeover of institution

Events

1 week ago Conan O'Brien is set to receive the Mark Twain award as politics roils the Kennedy Center

Conan O’Brien is set to receive the Mark Twain Prize at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where the backstage drama of the host institution may hang over the celebration

Politics

2 w. ago Trump is trying to crush the arts – and he’s starting with the Kennedy Center | Charlotte Higgins

Artists might cancel shows, donors withdraw and audiences flee. It all plays into the hands of his authoritarian projectIn Washington, Donald Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center – the US’s imposing national centre for the performing arts – presents a bizarre, unnerving and, at times, bleakly comical spectacle. Last month, he announced himself its new chair, replaced 13 board members, and inserted a new interim president, foreign policy adviser Richard Grenell. On Monday this week, the president’s motorcade disgorged him at the building – which contains an opera house, theatre, concert hall and a plethora of smaller venues off its towering, chandelier-hung foyers. By this point, his and Melania Trump’s portraits, alongside those of vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha, had been screwed to the wall beside the concert hall stage door.Trump and his new trustees – who include Usha Vance and Fox presenter Laura Ingraham – then discussed changes to the Kennedy Center Honors, founde...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s weird obsession with the arts is part of the authoritarian playbook | Charlotte Higgins

His focus on the Kennedy Center fits a pattern. From Augustus to Stalin, strongmen have sought cultural control for their own endsIn Washington, Donald Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center – the US’s imposing national centre for the performing arts – presents a bizarre, unnerving and, at times, bleakly comical spectacle. Last month, he announced himself its new chair, replaced 13 board members, and inserted a new interim president, foreign policy adviser Richard Grenell. On Monday this week, the president’s motorcade disgorged him at the building – which contains an opera house, theatre, concert hall and a plethora of smaller venues off its towering, chandelier-hung foyers. By this point, his and Melania Trump’s portraits, alongside those of vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha, had been screwed to the wall beside the concert hall stage door.Trump and his new trustees – who include Usha Vance and Fox presenter Laura Ingraham – then discussed changes to the Kennedy Center Hono...

Culture

2 w. ago Trump releases thousands of pages on John F Kennedy assassination

Experts doubt new trove of information will change underlying facts in case of 35th president’s deathThe Trump administration on Tuesday released thousands of pages of files concerning the assassination of John F Kennedy, the 35th president who was shot dead in Dallas, Texas, in November 1963.“So people have been waiting decades for this,” Donald Trump told reporters on Monday while visiting the Kennedy Center, “and I’ve instructed my people that are responsible, lots of different people, put together by [director of national intelligence] Tulsi Gabbard, and that’s going to be released tomorrow.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Judge issues fresh deadline to White House over Venezuelan deportations row – US politics live

Trump administration deported the Venezuelans despite legal orders not to and claimed it had the right to continue flights once they had left US airspaceDonald Trump visited the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday for the first time since making himself its new chair, threatening to shutter an expensive new addition and describing the marble Washington landmark as being in “tremendous disrepair.”Trump presided over the center’s board meeting in a demonstration of his takeover of an institution that has long enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Judge incredulous in Trump deportation case as administration lawyers argue verbal court order isn’t binding – as it happened

This blog has now closed. You can read more of our US politics coverage hereWhite House denies violating judge’s order with Venezuela deportationsWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?The justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Judge incredulous in Trump deportation case as administration lawyers argue verbal court order isn’t binding – live

Judge in Trump deportation case calls administration lawyers’ argument a ‘heck of a stretch’White House denies violating judge’s order with Venezuela deportationsWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?The justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Judge in Trump deportation case calls administration lawyers’ argument a ‘heck of a stretch’ – live

Trump administration lawyers argue they only had to comply with judge’s written order, not the order made orally during hearingWhite House denies violating judge’s order with Venezuela deportationsWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?The justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says ALL JFK assassination files totaling over 80,000 pages will be released tomorrow

'We have a tremendous amount of paper. You've got a lot of reading,' Trump told reporters as he announced the administration is releasing 80,000 JFK assassination files Tuesday.

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration argues order blocking deportation flights ‘not enforceable’ and seeks removal of judge in case – live

Judge also denied Trump administration lawyers attempt to cancel hearing on disputed deportation of more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang membersWhite House denies violating judge’s order with Venezuela deportationsWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?The justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump uses Kennedy Center visit to announce imminent release of JFK assassination files: Live updates

President attended first board meeting at performing arts venue

Politics

2 w. ago Trump spokesperson denies deportations were illegal and says White House ‘confident’ it will win in court – live

Karoline Leavitt also describes deportations as ‘counter-terrorism operation’ as judge orders officials to explain if they defied court orderWhite House denies violating judge’s order with Venezuela deportationsWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?The justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Judge orders Trump officials to explain if they defied court order by deporting migrants – live

James Boasberg sets 4pm ET hearing as rights groups say Trump deportation of Venezuelans could be ‘blatant violation’ of court orderWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?Professor deported despite judge’s order, defying US courtThe justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Conan O’Brien takes dig at Adrien Brody after being announced host of 2026 Oscars

O’Brien has been tapped to return to the Oscars stage next year after his hosting debut was lauded by viewers and critics

Politics

2 w. ago Trump deportation of Venezuelans could be ‘blatant violation’ of court order, rights groups say – live

Groups representing more than 200 people sent to El Salvador prison say they’re ‘extremely concerned’ about US administration’s actionsWhat is the Alien Enemies Act and how is Trump using it?Professor deported despite judge’s order, defying US courtThe justice department says that Rasha Alawieh, a kidney specialist working in Rhode Island who was deported to Lebanon despite having a US visa, had “sympathetic” photos and videos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, according to Politico.Alawieh’s deportation raised concerns because a judge had required 48 hours’ notice before being sent out of the country, and because she was detained despite having a valid visa and a job in the United States. Her lawyers have alleged that Customs and Border Protection ignored that order, and Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin is expected to consider the matter this morning. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration set for legal fights after carrying out deportations despite court orders – US politics live

Courts to demand answers after doctor is deported and two planeloads of Venezuelans flown to an El Salvador prison; Trump to attend Kennedy Center board meeting Donald Trump may be all in on tariffs, but the Guardian’s Lauren Aratani reports that many Americans are not, including a sizable number of Republicans:Americans are increasingly concerned about Donald Trump’s bid to overhaul the US economy with sweeping tariffs on foreign goods, according to an exclusive poll for the Guardian, despite the US president’s efforts to downplay the risks of his strategy. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Usha Vance: US second lady and wife of JD Vance making a name for herself

New Kennedy Center board member booed alongside husband at classical music concert

Politics

2 w. ago Conan O’Brien shocked at bizarre rules for Oscar statues: ‘This is a religious icon’

‘That blew my mind,’ said the comedian when he was told of the special restrictions

Events

2 w. ago Washington worried with Trump back in town: ‘The atmosphere is toxic here’

The Kennedy Center and BLM mural have been targeted, the newspaper is in freefall – and the Maga movement is gaining a footholdIt was an audience more accustomed to stifling a cough or resisting the temptation to unwrap a sweet. But when they spotted vice-president JD Vance taking his seat at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Thursday night, classical music-goers erupted in unrestrained boos, jeers and shouts of “You ruined this place!”The noisy protest exemplified a culture clash taking place in the nation’s capital. It came in the same week that work began to remove a giant “Black Lives Matter” mural near the White House, a top political columnist quit the Washington Post newspaper and a spending bill passed by the House of Representatives sought to impose drastic budget cuts of $1.1bn on the District of Columbia (DC). Continue reading...

Politics