President Donald Trump announced that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close later this year for a two-year renovation, with construction beginning July 4 to coincide with the nation’s 250th anniversary. Trump said the temporary closure would allow renovations to be completed faster and at a higher standard than if performances continued, promising a “new and spectacular entertainment complex” upon reopening.
The decision followed a yearlong review involving contractors and arts experts, according to Trump. While he said funding is already in place, the administration has not disclosed the project’s total cost or whether it will rely on federal funds, private donations, or both. The Kennedy Center, which hosts hundreds of performances annually, has not yet clarified whether scheduled events will be postponed or relocated. The move aligns with Trump’s broader effort to reshape prominent Washington landmarks, including plans for a new White House ballroom and a monumental arch marking America’s semi quincentennial.
Trump issued a sharp warning to Democrat-led cities facing unrest over federal immigration enforcement, stating that federal assistance for protests or riots will only be provided if local leaders explicitly request it. He framed the policy as a reaffirmation of state and local responsibility, pointing to recent unrest in cities such as Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Eugene, Oregon, where protests escalated near federal facilities.
At the same time, Trump drew a clear line on the protection of federal property, directing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, and other authorities to respond forcefully to any attacks on federal buildings or personnel. Citing a breach at a federal building in Eugene, Trump emphasized that while broader intervention depends on local requests, federal assets will be defended without hesitation. The warning underscores the administration’s law-and-order posture as Democratic officials continue resisting federal immigration operations.
Federal officials announced that ICE arrested more than 650 illegal aliens across West Virginia during a two-week statewide enforcement operation conducted in coordination with state and local law enforcement. The operation, which ran from January 5 through January 19, involved 14 federal, state, and local partners and deployed teams to cities including Charleston, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Huntington, and Beckley. Officials noted the operation concluded without protests, highlighting cooperation between federal and local agencies.
According to ICE, those arrested included individuals posing threats to public safety and national security, as well as others subject to final orders of removal. Arrests involved individuals with prior convictions ranging from child endangerment to drug offenses. Local law enforcement leaders praised the professionalism of federal agents and credited the joint effort with removing dangerous offenders from their communities, pointing to the operation as a model for immigration enforcement with broad local backing.
A resurfaced photograph showing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a high-profile Hollywood luncheon hosted by longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Peggy Siegal has drawn renewed attention following the release of newly unsealed Justice Department records. The image, taken in November 2017, shows Mamdani attending a Universal Pictures event celebrating Get Out during awards season in Manhattan. Siegal, once a powerful Hollywood publicist, later faced industry backlash over her social ties to Epstein, though she was never charged with a crime.
The photo emerged days after newly released Epstein-related documents referenced Mamdani’s mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, as part of Epstein’s broader social network. The documents do not allege criminal wrongdoing by Mamdani, Nair, or others named, but they have reignited scrutiny of elite social and professional circles connected to Epstein. Mamdani’s office dismissed the image as incidental, while critics argue it reflects unresolved questions about access, influence, and accountability that continue to follow Epstein’s network years after his death.
