Thin-Skinned Trump Snaps Over Kennedy Center Snub
Donald Trump snapped at a reporter who tried to ask about Kennedy Center actors who were planning to walk out rather than perform for him Wednesday night. He cut off the question, insisting, 'I couldn't care less!'
'Honestly, I couldn't,' Trump continued on the red carpet. 'All I do is run the country well,' he said, before launching into a lengthy list of his self-proclaimed achievements.
Les Misérables cast members were offered the option to sit out the show on the night of Trump's attendance, and about a dozen performers were planning to do so, CNN reported last month.
It underscores the ongoing conflict between Trump and members of the performing arts center, which he effectively seized control of in February. The president ousted much of the board, replaced them with loyalists, and appointed himself chairman, vowing to eliminate programming he deemed too 'woke,' such as events featuring drag performers.
'There's no inflation. People are happy. People are wealthy. The country is getting back to strength again,' said Trump, who was accompanied on the red carpet by Melania. 'That's what I care about.'
In fact, inflation held largely steady in May at 2.4 percent. There are protests across the country as anger over Trump's immigration crackdown grows, especially in Los Angeles, which is contending with a militarized response from the Trump administration that local officials say they did not want or need.
The Kennedy Center, meanwhile, has seen subscription sales plummet by more than a third year-on-year in the wake of Trump's takeover. But Trump has insisted his leadership will make the center 'great again.'
Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the Kennedy Center, slammed the potential boycott last month and suggested actors who participated should be publicly identified, telling The New York Times, 'Any performer who isn't professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won't be welcomed.'
'In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn't hire—and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience,' he added.
Loud boos could be heard from the audience as Trump waved from the presidential box, there were also cheers and a chant of 'USA! USA!' There was applause earlier for several drag queens as they arrived at the event. A group of drag performers had been expected to attend in protest after some attendees gave up their tickets following Trump's shakeup.
Vice President JD Vance also attended the event with his wife, Usha Vance, and joked on X that he had no idea what the iconic musical was about.
Trump, too, appeared to lack knowledge of the plot when he couldn't say whether he identified more with the protagonist or antagonist.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tulsi Gabbard Flips Sides in MAGA Civil War Over Iran's Nuclear Capabilities
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has flipped her stance on Iran after President Donald Trump nuked her intelligence as 'wrong.' Gabbard told the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 25 that there was no intelligence to suggest Iran was building nuclear weapons, though the country had enriched its uranium to higher levels. Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's June 12 'preemptive' strike on Iran—which he justified by saying that the country has a 'secret plan' to weaponize uranium—Trump sided with Israel's countervailing position. On two separate occasions this week, Trump rebuffed Gabbard's earlier assessment of Iran's nuclear program. 'I don't care what [Gabbard] said,' Trump said aboard Air Force One. 'I think they were very close to having one.' In another comment on Wednesday, the president added that Iran was 'a few weeks' away from turning their uranium into a weapon, echoing similar sentiments shared by Netanyahu. Then on Friday, Gabbard fell in line with Trump, attacking the media for having the gall to believe what she said. 'The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division,' Gabbard wrote to her 600K followers. 'America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly.' She added, 'President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree.' Gabbard included a clip of what she called her 'full testimony,' which has since racked up 8.9 million views. The world has been thrown into a state of limbo while Trump weighs a decision on whether to get the United States involved in strikes on Iran, a decision the country warned would be 'very dangerous.' In a statement read on Thursday by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump said he would make his decision 'within the next two weeks' based on the fact that there 'is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.' Reuters reported that the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with a group of European diplomats in Geneva on Friday for nuclear talks.
Fox News
11 minutes ago
- Fox News
Interventionists vs isolationists, GOP split on Iran
All times eastern Fox Report with Jon Scott Fox Report with Jon Scott FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage WATCH LIVE: Failed senate candidate Beto O'Rourke joins Senator Bernie Sanders on the 'Fighting Oligarchy' Tour
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Filing for city elections has opened
Filing to run for a position on Huntsville City Council opened on Thursday, June 19. There are five positions up for election, including the Mayor and all four ward positions. The November 4, 2025 election is a Constitutional Amendment Election. Terms for election are for three year terms following the charter changes of 2023. 2025 Candidate packet Current Mayor Russell Humphrey announced his reelection campaign during a meet and greet held June 5th at Humphrey's Bar and Grill. The sitting ward members are Councilmember Ward 1 Tore Fossum, Councilmember Ward 2 Casey Cox, Councilmember Ward 3 Anissa Antwine, and Councilmember Ward 4 Jon Strong. Antwine announced her run for reelection on Saturday, June 14, during her Juneteenth address at the MLK Community Center. Strong confirmed he too will be seeking reelection. 'There is still important work to do to change the tree ordinance to preserve more of the east Texas forest. There is a tree ordinance passed in 2021, but it appears to be ineffective,' said Fossum, when he confirmed his campaign Friday. 'Further, the most important functions the city does are the clean safe drinking water and safely disposing of the sewage. Much of the infrastructure is decades old and deteriorating. The drainage comes next and that is a difficult topic because we can go years or decades between destructive heavy rain events as we saw in October of 2023 and May of 2024. Many of those who had water intrusion for the first time could protect their houses with swales and berms. However, the city does not pay for that. Clear cutting on higher land contributed to that at Elkins Lake.' Cox had no response as of press time Friday afternoon. Running for City Council To qualify as a candidate for city council, there are several requirements: — At the time of election to office and during their tenure of office, the Mayor and each member of the Council shall be a citizen and a qualified registered voter of the State of Texas and the City of Huntsville. — Be at least 21 years of age on the date of the election. — Be a resident of the City for at least 12 months preceding the election. — Resided continuously in the state of Texas for 12 months preceding the date of the regular filing deadline for a candidate's application for a place on the ballot. — If running for a specific Ward, the candidate must be a resident of that Ward. — No member of the Council shall be indebted to the City or be delinquent in the payment to the City of any tax or assessment. — No member of the Council shall hold any other office or employment under the City government. — Be a citizen of the United States. — Have not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote; and — Have not been finally convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities. Candidates are also subject to the requirements of the State's nepotism law, conflicts of interest law, and the loyalty clause. According to the city's election page, a member of the council ceasing to possess any of the qualifications will immediately forfeit their office. To be eligible as a candidate for councilmember from a specific ward, a person must be a resident of such ward.
