Latest news with #KennedyCenter
India.com
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Vir Das: Fool Volume To Drop On THIS Date, Stand-Up Comedian Says, Lost My Voice 2 Months Before That Show
Mumbai: International Emmy Award winner Vir Das, who is all set to bring his fifth collaboration with the streaming giant Netflix with his new special titled Vir Das: Fool Volume, said he lost his voice two months before that show. He added that this is rewritten in silence and performed without rehearsal across the world. 'Vir Das: Fool Volume' will premiere on July 18. Reflecting on the journey behind his most personal special yet, Vir shared: 'Netflix and I were about to shoot a special with a different theme. The universe had other plans.' 'I lost my voice two months before that show. This is a show rewritten in silence and performed without rehearsal across the world. Turns out the voice in your head is way crazier than the one in your throat. A special that asks the important question: How much happiness do you share when it comes back? What does it mean for any of us to REALLY use our voice?' he added. This launch marks Vir's fifth Netflix special, which includes Abroad Understanding and Vir Das: Landing. Vir began his career with a gig at one of the premier hotels in New Delhi with a performance titled "Walking on Broken Das". He started his career on TV when he hosted two TV shows. The first one was Is Route Ki Sabhin Linein Maast Hain where he was an agony uncle. The second was his own stand-up comedy late night show Ek Rahin Vir. The stand up star and actor has appeared on a variety of comedic television programs. He was an addition to the cast of The Great Indian Comedy Show. He was cast as the comic relief in The Curse of King Tut's Tomb, a Hallmark mini-series filmed in India. He began filming for his first two Bollywood roles in early 2006. He played a small role in Vipul Shah's 2007 movie Namastey London. On 25 April 2017, Vir's Netflix special Abroad Understanding was released, in the process becoming the first Indian comedian with a comedy special on the platform. In June 2017 Das was named one of Variety's "10 Comics to Watch for 2017." In December 2018, Das released his second Netflix comedy special, entitled Losing It. In 2019, Das released his travel-cum-comedy show Jestination Unknown where he explores how Indians see humour along with a couple of other stand-up comedians and celebrities. During the lockdown in 2020 he was on Netflix in a one-hour special called Vir Das: Outside In. In 2021, Das performed a monologue titled "Two Indias" at the Kennedy Center in Washington. On 29 January 2023, Das appeared on the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast. He hosted the 52nd International Emmy Awards in 2024.
Politico
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Politico
In the streets
Presented by With help from Eli Okun and Bethany Irvine Good Sunday morning. Happy Father's Day. This is Zack Stanton. Get in touch. YOUR SUNDAY LISTEN: Within President Donald Trump's orbit, Richard Grenell is a jack of all trades. He's a special presidential envoy (if you're unclear what exactly that entails, Grenell says his remit is 'whatever President Trump gives me, and that can change'), as well as head of the Kennedy Center, a former acting director of national intelligence and ex-ambassador to Germany. Add in his friendship with first lady Melania Trump, and you begin to get a sense of the unique role he occupies. On today's episode of 'The Conversation with Dasha Burns,' Grenell joins Dasha to talk about all of it and much more — his vision for the Kennedy Center, the divide he sees between what he calls 'normal gays' and other members of the LGBTQ+ community, what diplomacy means to him, why he's thinking about running for California governor and much more. Watch and listen to it now on YouTube Grenell on audience members booing Trump officials at the Kennedy Center: 'I'm all for having your First Amendment rights. I will go to the mat for making sure that you have your First Amendment rights. But do you want a world where 'Les Mis' is interrupted by boos because somebody just feels like that's their moment? I don't.' On 'Hamilton' canceling its Kennedy Center run: 'When we had … Lin-Manuel Miranda and the 'Hamilton' folks, his whole push to say, 'I can't be here' — 'Hamilton' cancels at the Kennedy Center. Why did he do that? He did that because he's intolerant. He doesn't want to perform for Republicans. … The intolerance from the arts community is one of the worst. … They talk about 'give everyone their voice,' 'be tolerant,' 'we wanna be diverse,' but you show up as a Republican, and you get booed. They're literally the most intolerant people.' On LGBTQ+ pride parades: 'I mean, you go to a pride parade, and it's embarrassing, to be honest. … It's real fringe, and it's too sexual. And I think that we have to start critiquing ourselves — and by the way, this is extremely popular with normal gays.' On Trump deploying the military to L.A.: 'I think Donald Trump saved Los Angeles, because it was clearly heading towards riots … So when Donald Trump decided to send in law enforcement and send in the National Guard and send in the military, there are a lot of Democrats in California who said 'Thank God.'' On talking with Russia about Ukraine: 'Russia is clearly the problem here, and we have to be able to get to them and have a nice conversation with them and say, 'What do you want?' I don't think that talking to Russia is [a] weakness, which a lot of people do.' Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts … Spotify … YouTube DRIVING THE DAY IN THE STREETS: A week that began with Trump ordering the Marines and National Guard troops to the streets of Los Angeles ended with massive protests against the president in the streets of cities across the country, with Army tanks rumbling down Constitution Avenue here in Washington, and with armed FBI agents sweeping a neighborhood in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on a search for the gunman who allegedly shot two Democratic state legislators in their homes, killing Minnesota House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband. This morning, that manhunt continues. The Minnesota Star-Tribune's Jeff Day and colleagues report that the suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, 'carried a manifesto that listed 'prominent pro-choice individuals in Minnesota, including many Democratic lawmakers.'' The list reportedly included 11 lawmakers from neighboring Wisconsin, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. On NBC's 'Meet the Press,' Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said that law enforcement has 'also put an alert out in South Dakota,' and that they believe the suspect is 'in the Midwest.' A gut punch of a headline: 'Like School Shootings, Political Violence Is Becoming Almost Routine.' NYT's Lisa Lerer notes the statements of shock and condolences from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (shot and nearly killed in 2017), former Rep. Gabby Giffords (shot and nearly killed in 2011), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (whose husband, Paul, was bludgeoned and nearly killed in 2022), Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (whose house was set on fire earlier this year while he and his family slept inside), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (whom a group of militia members plotted to abduct and possibly execute in 2020) and Trump himself (who survived two assassination attempts in 2024). 'In the past three months alone, a man set fire to the Pennsylvania governor's residence while Mr. Shapiro and his family were asleep inside; another man gunned down a pair of workers from the Israeli Embassy outside an event in Washington; protesters calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colo., were set on fire; and the Republican Party headquarters in New Mexico and a Tesla dealership near Albuquerque were firebombed,' Lerer writes. 'Slowly but surely, political violence has moved from the fringes to an inescapable reality. Violent threats and even assassinations, attempted or successful, have become part of the political landscape — a steady undercurrent of American life.' That threat of violence loomed over yesterday's 'No Kings' protests. After the shootings in Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz urged would-be demonstrators not to attend any rallies 'until the suspect is apprehended.' In Texas, officials arrested a man who made a credible threat against lawmakers who were to attend the No Kings protest in Austin; per the American-Statesman, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety 'said preliminary information suggested the man was politically 'far left-leaning' and sought to harm those with whom he disagreed politically.' But those worries did little to dampen turnout nationally, as 'millions of Americans across the country took part in the largest coordinated protests against the president since the start of his second administration,' as POLITICO's Gigi Ewing writes. Here in Washington, a demonstration gathered in Logan Circle and marched for several blocks. But mostly, the No Kings phenomenon skipped the nation's capital. 'Rather than give [Trump] the excuse to crack down on peaceful counterprotests in downtown D.C., or give him the narrative device to claim that we're protesting the military, we said, OK, you can have downtown D.C.,' Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, told POLITICO. Instead, the main event in D.C. was the massive parade to honor the U.S. Army's 250th birthday (which also happened to coincide with Trump's 79th). 'Planes roared over the heart of Washington on Saturday evening, tanks rolled along the National Mall, brass bands resounded and thousands of soldiers marched past cheering crowds, as the Army put on the largest show of military might in the capital in more than three decades,' as WaPo put it. 'Long lines formed in the heavy heat, as people waited to climb in the back of a Stryker armored vehicle, and kids clambered into front seats of attack helicopters, posing for parents snapping photos with their phones. Across the grass, combat medics demonstrated how they treat injuries in conflict zones. A face-painting stand was steps away from a display of 19th-century rifles. Red MAGA hats dotted the crowd.' Last night, as celebratory fireworks gleamed above the National Mall, people gathered to gawk on the block of 16th Street just north of Lafayette Square where, four years ago this month, the National Guard and U.S. Park Police used tear gas against nonviolent protesters so that the president could walk to St. John's Church and pose for a photo. That stretch of road, which bore the words 'Black Lives Matter' until earlier this year, was largely devoid of demonstrators, save for a few pressed up against the anti-scale fencing erected at Lafayette Square. Tourists stood in the street, marveling at the display in the sky. A newly married couple bolted out from the St. Regis to take wedding photos in the median before the show ended. An older couple, both wearing American flag t-shirts, got an early beat on any traffic, making the trek away from the Mall. The sidewalk in front of St. John's Church was empty, save for a homeless person in a sleeping bag. There were precious few signs of the plaza's recent history, even with the echoes to the current moment, with mass protests nationally, Trump deploying federal forces to American cities and the feeling again of a nation seemingly on the brink. (History, as they say, may not repeat, but often rhymes.) All of it felt strangely normal. Perhaps it is now. SUNDAY BEST … — Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter on Israel's strikes against Iran, on 'Fox News Sunday': 'We are going to deal with the nuclear program as best we can. We still have a few surprises up our sleeve. I think we've proven that over the past couple of days. We're determined to get this done. At this point, what we've requested from our ally, our greatest ally, the United States, is defensive posture.' — Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on U.S. support for Israel, on NBC's 'Meet the Press': 'I support the administration's actions in helping Israel defend itself. In terms of whether the administration should go further and engage in direct hostilities against Iran, that's not something I support. Now, I have to caveat that by saying I have not been able to get recently an intelligence briefing on whether Iran is trying to break out to get a bomb. But I think the United States should be very loath to engage in another war after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.' — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on what it would take for him to vote for the 'big, beautiful bill,' on NBC's 'Meet the Press': 'Separate out the debt ceiling and have a separate vote on it. And I won't be the deciding vote on this. This is what I tell my supporters. If I am the deciding vote, they'll negotiate. If I'm not, they won't. So far they've been sending their attack dogs after me, and that's not a great persuasion technique. I will negotiate if they come to me, but they have to be willing to negotiate on the debt ceiling.' — Senate Majority Leader John Thune pitching the 'big, beautiful bill,' on 'Fox News Sunday': 'We will see where we finally end up in the Senate, but it'll be a major reduction in spending. … You have to start somewhere. And that's what this bill does.' TOP-EDS: A roundup of the week's must-read opinion pieces. 9 THINGS FOR YOUR RADAR 1. GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Trump is traveling to the Canadian Rockies today for the G7 meeting there as the world's economic powerhouses stare down a potentially calamitous tariff deadline and a burgeoning crisis in the Middle East. But Trump is unlikely to leave the three-day summit with a breakthrough on either front, POLITICO's Adam Cancryn reports. 'Trump officials are struggling to lock down trade pacts that they predicted were imminent in the wake of a first deal with the U.K. nearly a month ago. Even early chatter of a deal with Japan by this week's conference appears unlikely, said two people close to the White House, granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. And now, with the U.S. occupied by turmoil in the Middle East, Trump aides and advisers are tempering expectations for what the G7 may ultimately produce.' To wit: 'In a sign of how difficult it could be to present a united front, the summit isn't expected to produce a single joint leaders' statement, or communiqué,' WSJ's Natalie Andrews and colleagues report. 'Instead, the leaders will likely agree to separate statements on topics that Canada has identified as priorities, such as fighting foreign interference in elections and transnational crime and securing supply chains for critical minerals.' 2. HOW IT HAPPENED: 'Inside Trump's Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids,' by NYT's Tyler Pager and colleagues: 'On Wednesday morning, President Trump took a call from Brooke Rollins, his secretary of agriculture, who relayed a growing sense of alarm from the heartland. Farmers and agriculture groups, she said, were increasingly uneasy about his immigration crackdown. … She wasn't the first person to try to get this message through to the president, nor was it the first time she had spoken to him about it. But the president was persuaded. … 'Inside the West Wing, top White House officials were caught off guard — and furious at Ms. Rollins. Many of Mr. Trump's top aides, particularly Stephen Miller, his deputy chief of staff, have urged a hard-line approach, targeting all immigrants without legal status to fulfill the president's promise of the biggest deportation campaign in American history. But the decision had been made.' Staggering statistic: 'U.S. could lose more immigrants than it gains for first time in 50 years,' by WaPo's Andrew Ackerman and Lauren Kaori Gurley 3. MIDDLE EAST LATEST: Facing some criticism from within the Republican Party over how the 'America First' agenda fits into the increasingly tenuous Middle East conflict unfolding, Trump defiantly told The Atlantic's Michael Scherer in a phone call yesterday: 'Well, considering that I'm the one that developed 'America First,' and considering that the term wasn't used until I came along, I think I'm the one that decides that.' (The term dates back several generations.) He continued: ''For those people who say they want peace — you can't have peace if Iran has a nuclear weapon. So for all of those wonderful people who don't want to do anything about Iran having a nuclear weapon — that's not peace.' … Over the course of our conversation, the president defended his efforts to bring an end to multiple conflicts despite growing violence in the Middle East. … He described the conflict in Gaza as coming to a close. 'Gaza is ready to fold — or just about ready to fold. We have gotten many of the hostages back,' Trump said. Not everyone in the MAGA universe shares the president's sunny outlook.' On the ground: 'The death toll grew Sunday as Israel and Iran exchanged missile attacks for a third consecutive day, with Israel warning that worse is to come,' per the AP. 'Israel targeted Iran's Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran's nuclear program, while Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses and slammed into buildings deep inside Israel. In Israel, at least 10 people were killed in Iranian strikes overnight and into Sunday … bringing the country's total death toll to 13. … There was no update to an Iranian death toll released the day before by Iran's U.N. ambassador, who said 78 people had been killed and more than 320 wounded.' 4. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Beg your pardon: To secure mercy from Trump, many prospective pardonees are taking a page out of the president's playbook, railing against the judicial system that has long drawn his ire in a bid to increase their chances of winning his favor, POLITICO's Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing and Jerry Wu report. 'The bulk of the over 1,500 clemencies the president has issued in his second term have been granted to celebrities, politicians, Trump donors and loyalists — including those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — many of whom have used their platforms to make the case that the judicial system was manipulated against them for political reasons, just like the president himself.' 5. CALL LOG: Trump said in a Truth Social post yesterday afternoon that Russian President Vladimir Putin called him to 'very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well.' Trump said the two leaders spoke for roughly an hour but didn't spend much time discussing Russia's war in Ukraine, which 'will be for next week.' Putin is 'doing the planned prisoner swaps,' Trump indicated. 'He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end.' 6. JUSTICE LEAGUE: 'How Amy Coney Barrett Is Confounding the Right and the Left,' by NYT's Jodi Kantor: 'Her influence — measured by how often she is on the winning side — is rising. … Overall, her assumption of the seat once held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has moved the court's outcomes dramatically to the right and locked in conservative victories on gun rights, affirmative action and the power of federal agencies. But in Trump-related disputes, she is the member of the supermajority who has sided with him the least. That position is making her the focus of animus, hope and debate. In interviews, some liberals who considered the court lost when she was appointed have used phrases like, 'It's all on Amy.'' 7. COME FLY WITH ME: 'Trump's FAA pick has claimed 'commercial' pilot license he doesn't have,' by POLITICO's Oriana Pawlyk: 'Bryan Bedford's biography at Republic Airways, the regional airline where he has been CEO since 1999, said until Thursday that he 'holds commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings.' (By Friday, after POLITICO's inquiries, the word 'commercial' had been removed.) The FAA registry that houses data on pilot's licenses does not list any such commercial credentials for Bedford. … Questions about Bedford's credentials do not appear to threaten his prospects for heading the FAA … 'Bryan never misrepresented his credential; it was an administrative error that was immediately corrected,' DOT said in a statement.' 8. PERPLEXING PLAN: After Trump's surprise announcement last month to take Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public, GOP lawmakers and the mortgage industry are raising questions about the administration's plans to maintain government control over much of the nation's housing finance system, defying expectations that it would back off, POLITICO's Katy O'Donnell reports. 'The insistence on preserving significant sway over the two mortgage giants, which were seized by the Bush administration during the financial crisis and placed in conservatorship, is setting up a potential rift with Republicans — and possibly even some administration aides who have long worked to reduce the government's footprint in the housing market.' 9. EMPIRE STATE OF MIND: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) railed against the political 'gerontocracy' in an appearance to boost Zohran Mamdani in the NYC mayoral race and thump Andrew Cuomo, the frontrunner in the contest, POLITICO's Jeff Coltin reports. AOC also used the rally as a chance to carry forward a message that she has been trumpeting alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at their 'Fighting Oligarchy' rallies across the nation: 'In a world and a nation that is crying to end the gerontocracy of our leadership, that wants to see a new day, that wants to see a new generation ascend, it is unconscionable to send Andrew Cuomo to Gracie Mansion,' she said. TALK OF THE TOWN Donald Trump disclosed over $600 million in income and $1.6 billion in assets in a new financial disclosure, per WaPo. 'Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance … reported holding cryptocurrency, with Trump owning at least $1 million in ethereum and Vance holding at least $250,000 in bitcoin.' BUZZ OF THE HAMPTONS: The wedding of Alex Soros and Huma Abedin in the Hamptons on Saturday brought out a host of Democratic establishment stalwarts. Among the guest list: Hillary and Bill Clinton, Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Anna Wintour, Susie Tompkins Buell and plenty more. NYT's Teddy Schleifer and Jacob Reber have more TEE TIME: The Congressional Country Club hosted its 2025 Presidents' Cup this weekend, with Geoff Tracy and George Ballman coming away as the champions. The full results WELCOME TO THE WORLD — John Pence, general counsel of Frontline Strategies and a Trump campaign alum, and Giovanna Coia, a Trump White House alum, welcomed Ford James Pence on Tuesday. He joins big siblings Jack and … Another pic — Emilia Varrone, ophthalmology resident at VCU Health, and Andrew Hutson, senior media buyer at GMMB, on Thursday welcomed Liv (Livvy) Marie Hutson, who joins older brother Alfred Hutson. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) (6-0), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) (6-0) and Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.) … CNN's Dana Bash, Bianna Golodryga … Karl de Vries … Jana Plat … AP's Evan Vucci … Clifford Levy … MSNBC's Will Rabbe … Alyssa Farah Griffin … PBS NewsHour's Ali Rogin ... Sophie Vaughan … Marie Harf … POLITICO's Brian Faler, and Katherine Tully-McManus … Joseph Brazauskas … Richard Edelman … Team Lewis' Reagan Lawn … Susan Toffler … Wells Griffith … Jeff Green of J.A. Green & Co. … former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (5-0) … former Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) … former House Majority Whip Tony Coelho (D-Calif.) … former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell … Akoya's Corinne Gorda … Dan Schwerin … Eva Bandola Berg Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton, deputy Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
Politico
6 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Richard Grenell on Cancel Culture, ‘Normal Gays' and his friend Melania Trump
Within the Trump administration, Richard Grenell is a jack of all trades. When he's not acting in a diplomatic capacity as special presidential envoy, he's also running one of Washington's most esteemed arts institutions, the Kennedy Center. 'Everyone should be welcome. No one should be booed. No one should be banned,' Grenell tells Politico's Dasha Burns in a wide-ranging interview in the Kennedy Center's Grand Foyer. Grenell explains why he thinks 'the intolerance is coming from the left,' and why 'the gay community has to police itself' at Pride parades. Grenell also sheds light on the Trump administration's talks with Russia, immigration enforcement, his potential run for California Governor, and his friendship with First Lady Melania Trump. Grenell also responds to reports that ticket sales and subscriptions have dropped at the Kennedy Center. Grenell calls those reports 'wrong.' Read the statements from the Kennedy Center's CFO here and its SVP of Marketing here. Plus, senior political reporter Melanie Mason joins Burns to talk about the immigration protests in Los Angeles and how California Governor Gavin Newsom is leading the fight against President Trump's military intervention. Listen and subscribe to The Conversation with Dasha Burns on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shouts of ‘felon' and ‘we love you': Inside Trump's charged visit to the Kennedy Center
President Donald Trump drew charged reactions of both admiration and ire at the Kennedy Center's opening night of 'Les Misérables' – with a greeting of cheers and boos, drama at intermission and drag queens in the audience. When the lights came on after the end of the first act Wednesday, many people cheered and clapped as the president and First Lady Melania Trump stood up. But a woman below, seated in the orchestra section, started yelling: 'Felon, you're a convicted felon.' As cheers died down, and Trump walked out, her voice became clearer: 'Convicted felon, rapist!' A security guard quickly approached, appearing to escort her out. As the crowd waited anxiously for Trump to return to his seat, someone yelled out: 'F**k Trump,' and the crowd responded by cheering and clapping loudly. Some yelled out: 'We love you.' Others booed, and then an even louder cheer erupted when Trump appeared again. He pumped his fist in the air three times – reminiscent of how he rallied his supporters after an assassination attempt against him last year in Pennsylvania, when he made the same motion and shouted to the crowd: 'Fight, fight, fight.' The night was emblematic of Trump's approach in his second administration. Shunned from much of the cultural milieu of deep-blue Washington, DC, in his first term, he largely ignored it. This time, an emboldened Trump has seized control of one of the premiere cultural spots in the city, installing allies on the board who named him chairman and announcing plans to adjust the decor and schedule to his liking. And, much like his approach to the negative reactions during the performance, he isn't expressing much concern about his critics. His supporters are more than willing to drown out the naysayers. When Trump first entered the theater, standing at the lip of the presidential box overlooking the crowd, he was met with loud cheers and boos. Then chants of 'USA, USA, USA' broke out. Darlene Webb, a self-identified Trump supporter since 2016, said the expletives and jeering just made her want to express her support more loudly. 'I just wanted to clap and yell over it, because at this type of performance I don't think it was good for them to do that, professionally,' Webb said. Cara Segur, a friend of Webb's, said she 'found it kind of ironic that he was here' given the subject matter of the musical. In the backdrop of Wednesday night's performance — the story of a former convict fighting for a second chance against a law enforcement officer's dogged pursuit to put him back in prison — Trump has deployed the National Guard and hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles to quash protests, which were sparked by the administration's immigration crackdown. 'Seeing some of the actors and actresses, it looked like they were singing at him, instead of just singing to the crowd. And it felt really powerful and I liked it,' Segur said. Not all the protests against Trump's presence at the Kennedy Center Wednesday night were vocal. Four drag queens sat below the presidential box, a visual pushback against Trump's vow that there would be no more 'woke' performances or drag shows at the Kennedy Center. One of the drag queens, Tara Hoot, said their appearance in full drag was 'a message of inclusivity. I really love musicals, I mean I'm a drag queen.' 'A lot of people have been applauding, asking for pictures,' another drag queen who goes by Vagenesis said, waving a fan with the DC flag on it. 'Some people are throwing some glances, confused about what they see, but that's always to be expected wherever we go.' Some in the audience bought tickets well before Trump decided to attend, including Carol Campion, her daughter Kristen Farren and her two grandchildren. Farren said she would like the Kennedy Center to 'remain apolitical. It's a beautiful, beautiful location that has been part of our country for a very long time, and I think it should just be dedication to the arts as it was meant to be.' The performers, who did not make any sort of statement about Trump's presence during the show, received a standing ovation from the audience. Trump and the first lady stood and clapped, as well as the entire presidential box, which included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and Kellyanne Conway, among others. Trump left before the lights came back on. Before the show, the president and Melania Trump attended a VIP reception hosted by the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees intended to raise money to revamp the building. Gold sponsors of the event were asked to contribute $2 million for 10 premier seats, a photo opportunity with Trump and 10 tickets to the VIP reception. Silver sponsors were expected to pay $100,000 for a photo opportunity with Trump, performance seating and two tickets to the VIP reception. At the red carpet ahead of the performance, Trump said that $10 million had been raised for the Kennedy Center. Trump has taken purposeful steps to reshape power at the Kennedy Center, installing allies on the board who elected him chairman. That includes his chief of staff Susie Wiles, Usha Vance, Bondi, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's wife, Allison. He also appointed Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, as well as 'God Bless the USA' singer Lee Greenwood. 'We're going to make it incredible,' Trump said on the red carpet before the show. 'We have all the funding — we raised a lot tonight. We'll put it — lot of money, we're going to bring it back to the highest level, higher than it was ever before.' Trump was asked while entering the venue about a previous CNN report that at least 10 to 12 cast members planned to boycott the performance due to his appearance. While it was not immediately clear how many cast members followed through on those plans, Trump said he was unbothered. 'I couldn't care less, honestly I couldn't,' he replied. 'All I do is run the country – well.'
Fox News
6 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Trump juggles China framework trade deal, LA's anti-ICE riots and Israel's Iran strike in 21st week in office
President Donald Trump had a whirlwind 21st week back in the Oval Office, including securing the framework for a trade deal with China, continued handling of anti-ICE riots spiraling in Los Angeles, and putting a heightened focus on Iran after Israel launched a sweeping strike on the nation. Here's what happened during his 21st week in office: Highly anticipated trade talks with China were held in London this week and led to a preliminary agreement between the world's two biggest economic powers. "Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me," Trump posted to Truth Social Wednesday of framework for a trade deal. The Trump administration had leveled tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods following the president's reciprocal tariff plans in April, when China retaliated against the U.S. with tariffs of its own. China and the U.S. reached a preliminary trade agreement in May, which Trump said China violated in a Truth Social post at the end of May. Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping June 5 to discuss trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing, before Trump's team of trade leaders — including Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer — headed to London to speak with Chinese counterparts. "We made a great deal with China," Trump celebrated from a red carpet event at the Kennedy Center Wednesday. "We're very happy with it," Trump added. "We have everything we need, and we're going to do very well with it. And hopefully they are, too." Trump said the deal includes China supplying rare earth materials to the U.S., and that Trump will "work closely" with Xi "to open up China to American Trade." "Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!). We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. Relationship is excellent!" Trump said Wednesday. Trump's week started out largely focusing on the anti-ICE riots spiraling in Los Angeles, which also led to protests in other cities nationwide in rebuke of the administration's efforts to deport the millions of illegal immigrants who flooded the nation under President Joe Biden's White House tenure. Riots broke out in L.A. after federal law enforcement officials converged on the city to carry out immigration raids. Local leaders such as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly denounced the raids in public statements while offering words of support for illegal immigrants in the state. Protests over the raids soon devolved into violence as rioters targeted federal law enforcement officials, including launching rocks at officials, looting, fires and shutting down roads and highways. Trump announced June 7 that he was deploying 2,000 National Guard members to help quell the violence, and the administration deployed hundreds of Marines to respond to anti-immigration chaos Monday evening as the violence continued. "If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now," Trump posted to Truth Social Tuesday morning. California launched a lawsuit against the administration for activating the National Guard, which bypassed the governor who typically deploys the National Guard during a state of emergency. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer sided with Newsom and his administration's lawsuit in a decision Thursday ordering Trump to return control of the Guard to the state "forthwith." A federal appeals court on Thursday, however, issued an administrative stay of the lower court's order, handing the Trump administration a temporary win. "The Appeals Court ruled last night that I can use the National Guard to keep our cities, in this case Los Angeles, safe," Trump posted to Truth Social Friday. "If I didn't send the Military into Los Angeles, that city would be burning to the ground right now. We saved L.A. Thank you for the Decision!!!" Trump activated the National Guard as he and federal officials condemned rhetoric from local Democratic elected officials who publicly spoke out against federal law enforcement officials converging on Los Angeles to carry out immigration raids. Federal officials pinned blame for the violence on Democratic elected officials who have "villainized and demonized" ICE law enforcement, Fox Digital previously reported. "The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable and Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end," Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in a June 7 statement. "The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens.… From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end." Israel launched strikes on Iran Thursday evening, with Trump telling Fox News' Bret Baier that there were no surprises over the attacks and that he was aware they would unfold ahead of time. "Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table," Trump said Thursday. "We will see. There are several people in leadership in Iran that will not be coming back." The strikes led to the deaths of top Iranian military officials, including: Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and Commander of Iran's Emergency Command Gholam-Ali Rashid. Trump warned in a Truth Social message Friday that Israel's next round of strikes on Iran would be "even more brutal," encouraging Iran to make a nuclear deal amid ongoing talks with the U.S. "There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end," Trump said. "Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE." Before Israel launched attacks on Iran, the U.S. and Iran were scheduled to hold another round of nuclear talks this weekend regarding whether Iran should have the capacity to enrich uranium. "The United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come - And they know how to use it," Trump continued on Truth Social. "Certain Iranian hardliner's spoke bravely, but they didn't know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!" Trump held a meeting with his National Security Council Friday to discus the strikes. Trump's 21st week in office is slated to cap off with a military parade on the streets of Washington, D.C., in honor of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, which also falls on Flag Day and Trump's 79th birthday. The patriotic event is anticipated to garner protests, as critics of the president slam him over the immigration raids in Los Angeles and elsewhere, and claim he is operating like a "king." "If there's any protest once they come out, they will be met with very big force," Trump told reporters Tuesday. "I haven't even heard about a protest. But people that hate our country … they will be met with very heavy force."
