Trump Wants to Give Kennedy Center to Congress after Judge Orders His Name Removed from Building

President Trump declared Friday that he has “no interest in continuing” to oversee operations and renovations at the Kennedy Center – and will move to transfer those responsibilities to Congress – after a federal judge ordered his name to be removed from the performing arts venue.

⁠District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that within 14 days all physical signage bearing Trump’s name must be removed from the building and all references to a “Trump Kennedy Center” must be eliminated from official materials, in response to a lawsuit by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who is an ex-officio member of the institution’s board.

Cooper, who serves on the District Court for the District of Columbia and was appointed by former President Barack Obama, also temporarily blocked a planned two-year closure of the venue for renovations – infuriating Trump.

“Shockingly, a Judge appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, Christopher Cooper, ruled that The Kennedy Center, which was going to close in early July for largescale renovations and construction due to years of neglect, decay, and poor maintenance, and which was to be transformed by the Trump Administration into the Finest Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World, is not allowed to close for these renovations, which would not be possible to properly do without such a closure,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Additionally, Judge Cooper ruled that the 36 Member Board of Trustees, which unanimously voted to add the name ‘TRUMP’ onto the former Kennedy Center, making it The Trump Kennedy Center, did not have the right to do such an addition, and the name, ‘TRUMP,’ must be removed,” the president continued. (Read more from “Trump Wants to Give Kennedy Center to Congress after Judge Orders His Name Removed from Building” HERE)

Here’s Some Of The Names You Know That Will Not Be Back Next Congress

Dozens of legislators are already confirmed to not return to the next Congress as voters prepare to elect all 435 members of the House and a third of the 100-seat Senate in November.

As of Saturday, 57 members of the House and 11 senators have announced they are not seeking reelection — in addition to four House members and two senators who have lost renomination in their respective primaries. Here is a list of some of the more widely recognized members of Congress who will not be part of the 120th Congress, set to take office in January 2027.

Mitch McConnell — Retiring

Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, 84, who has served in the upper legislative chamber since 1985, announced in February 2025 he would not seek reelection to an eighth term. McConnell’s 41-year tenure includes service as both the Senate’s majority and minority leaders. The longtime lawmaker led the GOP Senate Conference for 18 consecutive years before stepping down in January 2025, when he was succeeded by now-Senate Majority Leader John Thune. . .

Nancy Pelosi — Retiring

McConnell is not the only former Congressional leader not returning to the next Congress after a tenure starting in the 1980s. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 86, announced in November 2025 she would not run for a 21st term representing San Francisco. . .

Jerry Nadler — Retiring

Democratic New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, 78, a prominent Trump foe, announced in September 2025 he would not run for reelection in the 2026 midterms. Nadler, who has represented a New York City-based seat since 1992, chaired the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023 and served as a House manager during Trump’s first impeachment.

(Read more from “Here’s Some Of The Names You Know That Will Not Be Back Next Congress” HERE)

Clock Ticking On GOP To Pass Literally Anything As Midterms Loom

Republicans are running out of time to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda and tackle the affordability crisis as the midterm elections inch closer.

With the midterms looming, Republicans have struggled to pass several policy agendas, including funding immigration enforcement, addressing affordability and adding voter identification requirements. Republicans are on a time crunch to address the hot-button issues for voters, including the economy and immigration, before they cast their ballots in November.

The Senate has 53 days in session before November, while the House has about 40.

A second reconciliation package aimed at funding immigration enforcement will not reach Trump’s desk by his June 1 deadline, leaving Senate Republicans scrambling to pass the package once they return from Memorial Day recess. Republicans are uncertain on how to handle the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion fund that would pay people alleging the justice system was “weaponized” against them, as many senators intended to use the package to restrict the fund.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said his colleagues wanted to place conditions on who could receive the fund payments, adding that he did not see a need for this fund. Republican Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy claimed the fund would allow Trump to hand payments to people without any “legal precedent or accountability,” while Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said the fund would “compensate people who assaulted Capitol Police officers.” (Read more from “Clock Ticking On GOP To Pass Literally Anything As Midterms Loom” HERE)

Graham Platner Allegedly Sent Sexually Explicit Texts to Women, Had Profile on Kik Messaging App

Maine Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner’s wife admitted to his campaign that he had sent sexually explicit texts to women early in their marriage, according to multiple reports.

“People familiar with the matter” told the Wall Street Journal that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, reportedly shared with an aide in August that she had found the sexually explicit messages “early in their marriage in the spring of 2025.”

Gertner’s admission to sending the messages came as “some aides were conducting opposition research on their own candidate.” The aides’ opposition research on Platner came as “the campaign had been preparing for a major rally” with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), according to the outlet.

A campaign official explained that “Aides ultimately decided the texts were a private matter that was being handled by the couple in marriage counseling.”

Gertner explained in a statement that she had thought “She was confiding in an aide she considered a friend,” adding that she and her husband “did the hard work that marriage requires.” (Read more from “Graham Platner Allegedly Sent Sexually Explicit Texts to Women, Had Profile on Kik Messaging App” HERE)

Pence Following Paxton Win: GOP ‘Lost our Way,’ but Democrats ‘have Lost Their Minds’

Former Vice President Pence said Sunday that his party has “lost our way,” but also went after Democrats by saying they “have lost their minds.”

During an interview on “Meet the Press,” NBC News’s Kristen Welker pressed Pence on who he would support in the upcoming U.S. Senate race in Texas, as the controversial Republican nominee, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is set to face off against the Democratic nominee, Texas state Rep. James Talarico.

While Pence did not directly confirm whether he would vote for Paxton if he could, he did say that he has confidence in Republicans in Texas. He also said he could “never” vote for Talarico if he could vote in Texas.

“Look, I — I think, in many respects, Republicans have lost our way,” Pence said in the interview. “But, Democrats have lost their mind. And I think the reason why we’re going to hold the Senate — and we have a real shot to hold the House — is because of the extremism on the Democratic side.”

“I mean, you literally have candidates, not just the mayor of New York, but some of the most prominent voices in the party that are openly advocating for socialist policies and socialism itself.” (Read more from “Pence Following Paxton Win: GOP ‘Lost our Way,’ but Democrats ‘have Lost Their Minds’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Uh-oh, the International Space Station is Leaking Again

NASA confirmed Thursday that the Russian segment of the International Space Station has begun leaking atmosphere into space again. It’s an old problem that NASA recently hoped was resolved.

For more than half a decade, engineers from Roscosmos and NASA have been tracking the leak rate from a small Russian module attached to the space station that leads to a docking port. The source of these leaks, microscopic structural cracks, have been difficult to find and address.

In January, NASA said that after multiple inspections and sealant applications, the pressure inside this segment, known as the PrK module, had reached a “stable configuration.” The PrK module is essentially a transfer tunnel attached to the Zvezda Service Module on the Russian segment of the space station.

This announcement by NASA was greeted by a sigh of relief in the space community, as atmospheric leaks on a pressure vessel like the International Space Station are never a good thing.

Unfortunately, the leak returned three weeks ago. After a couple of sources reported this to Ars, NASA confirmed the issue on Thursday. On May 1, after Russian cosmonauts unloaded cargo from the Progress 95 cargo spacecraft, Roscosmos noted a “slow pressure drop” in the PrK module.

“Teams performed data analysis, which indicated a loss of about one pound per day,” NASA spokesperson Josh Finch told Ars. “Roscosmos allowed the pressure in the transfer tunnel to gradually decrease while monitoring the rate. The area now is being maintained at a lower pressure, with small repressurizations as needed. There are no impacts to station operations, and NASA and Roscosmos are coordinating on next steps.” (Read more from “Uh-oh, the International Space Station is Leaking Again” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Woman Laughs off Deputy’s Texting Claim after Bodycam Shows Obvious Problem

A Florida sheriff’s deputy is facing intense internet backlash after viral body camera video captured him doubling down and ticketing a woman for using a phone in her right hand — even after she revealed her right arm stops at the elbow.

The roadside hiccup went down in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, in February, when a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy pulled over 36-year-old Kathleen Thomas. The officer insisted she was clutching a cellphone in her right hand.

But body camera footage released this week captures the moment the deputy’s case blew up.

As the officer began lecturing her about the dangers of distracted driving, Thomas did not even bother to argue. Instead, she flashed her right arm, which ends at the forearm.

“So obviously not,” Thomas said, bursting into laughter in the now viral clip. “So you want to just call this a day or…?”

“I don’t want to call a day. You had a hand manipulator,” the deputy said. “I thought I saw your hand.” (Read more from “Woman Laughs off Deputy’s Texting Claim after Bodycam Shows Obvious Problem” HERE)

Two Years After Covering Up Biden’s Decline, Jill And The Media Try To Cover Up The Cover-Up

“Joe, you did such a great job! You answered every question, you knew all the facts,” then-First Lady Jill Biden told her husband after the infamous 2024 presidential debate against now President Donald Trump.

But Jill has now admitted she didn’t even believe that herself.

In an interview with CBS News ahead of the release of her memoir Views from the East Wing, Jill said she actually thought her husband was “having a stroke.”

“I was frightened, because I had never, ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,” Jill said. She went on to add, “I don’t know what happened. … As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death.”

It scared Jill so much that she immediately whisked her possibly stroking husband to an Atlanta Waffle House. (Read more from “Two Years After Covering Up Biden’s Decline, Jill And The Media Try To Cover Up The Cover-Up” HERE)

Trump Calls in Ghislaine Maxwell for a Favor in $10B Lawsuit

President Donald Trump is turning to convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell as he resurrects his lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over an article about a lewd birthday letter bearing his signature sent to Jeffrey Epstein.

The president refiled his $10 billion lawsuit on Wednesday after a federal judge threw out his first lawsuit in April, finding he had not sufficiently alleged “actual malice,” the legal threshold required in defamation suits involving public officials.

In the revised lawsuit, Trump’s lawyers argue that the Journal showed actual malice by omitting from the article Maxwell’s claim that she had no recollection of Trump sending the letter, citing testimony from her controversial sit-down last July with then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

“Indeed, Maxwell has stated, subject to penalty of perjury for lying to a federal officer, that she did not remember President Trump submitting a letter for Epstein’s 50th birthday,” the president’s lawsuit states.

But in the original Journal article about the letter, which Trump allegedly sent to Epstein for a birthday album Maxwell compiled for the pedophile’s birthday in 2003, the reporters wrote that Maxwell didn’t respond to a letter requesting an interview sent to her in prison. (Read more from “Trump Calls in Ghislaine Maxwell for a Favor in $10B Lawsuit” HERE)

Trump Convenes Situation Room Meeting for ‘Final Determination’ on Iran Deal — Makes New Demand for ‘Nuclear Dust’

A peace deal with Iran appeared within reach on Friday after President Trump convened a lengthy meeting in the Situation Room to hammer out the details and make clear his red line on Iran’s nuclear dust.

Negotiations are “close,” a senior administration official told The Post, but not finalized.

Officials are optimistic, but sticking points remain, including over Iran’s nuclear program and the dispersal of humanitarian funds.

However, Tehran has not publicly agreed to give up its enriched uranium before the Strait of Hormuz is reopened.

The president spent over two hours in the Situation Room on Friday with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior administration officials to discuss the details, which would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, dropping the US blockade of Iranian ports — and potentially seeing the US digging out and destroying Iran’s leftover enriched uranium. (Read more from “Trump Convenes Situation Room Meeting for ‘Final Determination’ on Iran Deal — Makes New Demand for ‘Nuclear Dust’” HERE)