Kennedy Center board votes to close venue for 2-year renovation
This version of Rcrd104529 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
President Donald Trump touted his efforts to renovate the Kennedy Center ahead of the vote.
What to know today
- KENNEDY CENTER: The Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees voted this afternoon to approve a plan to close the arts center for two years for renovations. President Donald Trump touted his efforts to renovate the Kennedy Center ahead of the vote.
- SUSIE WILES: The White House chief of staff said today that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Wiles, the first woman to hold her position, said that doctors caught the disease early and that she plans to continue working during treatment.
- VOTER SHIFT ON ISRAEL: American voters’ feelings about Israel and the Palestinian territories have shifted dramatically in recent years, with more registered voters viewing Israel negatively than positively, especially among independents and Democrats, according to a new NBC News poll.
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Jesse Jackson posthumously spurs ‘commotion’ in key Senate race
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Saturday touted a Senate endorsement from the late Rev. Jesse Jackson that she said she had just been notified she received, days before Illinois Democrats choose their nominee to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.
But instead, the announcement has turned into a back-and-forth saga. Jackson’s group, Rainbow PUSH, and his son Yusef later said the endorsement, weeks after Jackson’s death, was not meant to be public and didn’t have final approval. He attributed the mix-up to a staff member.
That was after another son, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, raised eyebrows when he doubted the endorsement in comments to Politico, saying: “He wouldn’t do that. ... This smells of desperation.”
Reached by NBC News this evening, Rep. Jackson backed off those remarks, saying, “I may have overstated that,” adding he “wished her well.”
Trump said he spoke to a former president about bombing Iran. Four denials suggest otherwise.
EXCLUSIVE: Mark Kelly presses Pete Hegseth on 'no quarter' remarks
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is pressing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to clarify his remarks at a news conference last week, when he said the U.S. military would give “no quarter” to enemies in the war against Iran, according to a letter shared exclusively with NBC News.
The phrase "no quarter" refers to orders that enemies should not be taken prisoner and that they should instead be killed rather than allowed to surrender. Kelly’s letter to Hegseth argues that declaring a strategy of "no quarter" goes against international law, as well as the Defense Department's Law of War Manual, “including Article 23 of Hague IV Regulation, expressly stating it is ‘forbidden to declare that no quarter will be given.’”
“Our military has taken that position not only because it is morally correct and a requirement of international and federal law; it has also done so because illegal behavior by our military would put our service members at greater risk of reciprocation and erode the good order and discipline that makes our fighting force the most effective in the world,” Kelly, a retired Navy captain, wrote in the letter, which was sent today.
Hegseth and Kelly have been at odds ever since Kelly released a video with fellow Democratic lawmakers encouraging U.S. military officers to refuse illegal orders, a video that resulted in the Pentagon’s trying to punish Kelly by downgrading his military retirement rank and pay because of what it called “seditious statements.” A judge blocked the punishment, saying that allowing the punitive measures to take effect would violate Kelly’s First Amendment rights.
“Although you have publicly tried to censure me for restating the legal duty of members of the military not to follow illegal orders, that is not only U.S. military law, but it is also a longstanding legal principle on which every service member is trained during their service,” Kelly writes. “Every member of our Armed Forces swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and they are taught to understand that unlawful orders must not be carried out.”
Kelly asked Hegseth to clarify three questions, including whether his statement that there would be “no quarter” should be “intended as a description of current U.S. policy or Rules of Engagement in conflict.” The letter asks him, if that is so, to “provide a copy of the specific U.S. policy or rule to which you were referring and the legal authority underlying that policy or rule.”
Trump says he thinks he'll have 'the honor of taking Cuba'
Trump said this afternoon that he thinks he will have the “honor of taking Cuba” as it confronts an energy crisis and violent protests.
Trump declined to answer a question from a reporter about whether military action in Cuba could look more similar to action in Iran or in Venezuela, but he said Cuba is “talking to us.”
“You know, all my life I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it? I do believe I’ll be the honor — of having the honor of taking Cuba. That’d be a good honor. That’s a big honor,” Trump said.
Asked to clarify what he meant by “taking Cuba,” Trump said: “Taking Cuba in some form, yeah, taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth? They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
U.S. has requested Trump's Beijing trip be delayed by 'a month or so'
Trump told reporters the U.S. has requested that his trip to China be delayed by “a month or so,” citing the war in Iran.
Trump said he didn’t know whether he would still plan to travel to Beijing at the end of the month, saying in response to a question, “We’re working on that right now.”
“I’d love to, but because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here, I feel. And so we’ve requested that we delay it a month or so, and I’m looking forward to being with them,” he said.
“It’s very simple. We've got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here, so it could be that we delay a little bit, not much,” he added.
The Trump administration appeared to cast doubt on the trip earlier today, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying that it might not take place as scheduled but that it wouldn’t be delayed to pressure Beijing to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
Vance says there's no daylight between him and Trump on Iran war
Vance reiterated his support for the Iran war despite numerous statements in the past about U.S. wars.
Asked about his “past statements,” Vance said there’s “one big difference.”
“We have a smart president, whereas in the past, we’ve had dumb presidents, and I trust President Trump to get the job done, to do a good job for the American people and to make sure that the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated,” he said.
He then accused the reporter of “trying to drive a wedge” between him and Trump, saying he agrees with Trump's position that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon.
“We have taken this military action under the president’s leadership. I think all of us, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, should pray for success and pray for the safety of our troops. That’s the approach that I’ve taken. Make it as successful as possible,” Vance said.
Trump previously said that Vance was "philosophically a little bit different" from him on Iran and that he "was maybe less enthusiastic."
Trump renews attacks on Somalia and Rep. Ilhan Omar ahead of executive order on fraud
Trump renewed his attacks today on Somalia and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., before he signed an executive order to address fraud.
Trump said in the Oval Office that “Somalia is a Third World, maybe a Fourth World, nation” and that “they come here and steal $19 billion,” a claim that lacks evidence. The Justice Department has charged 98 people in Minnesota, 85 of whom are Somali, with $1 billion in fraud.
Trump also claimed without evidence that Omar was involved in aspects of fraud in Minnesota.
Trump last month declared a “war on fraud,” naming Vice President JD Vance the head of his administration’s anti-fraud efforts. Vance later announced a pause on Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota.
Board votes to close Kennedy Center for 2 years for renovations, congresswoman says
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, confirmed at a virtual news briefing that the Kennedy Center board's vote today to close the arts center for two years for renovations was unanimous.
Beatty — an ex-officio member of the Board — was invited and attended the meeting but was not allowed to vote.
Supreme Court to hear Trump effort to end protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants
The Supreme Court has announced it will hear oral arguments in April on the Trump administration plan to remove legal protections from thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the United States.
In a brief order, the court it said it would wait until after it heard those arguments before it acts on two emergency requests filed by the Trump administration, which asked to continue with its plan to strip Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, from about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians.
In both cases, lower courts ruled against the administration.
The TPS program provides humanitarian relief to people from countries dealing with rom war, natural disasters or other catastrophes. Recipients have legal status in the U.S. and can apply for work authorization for up to 18 months, subject to extensions.
Fed Chair Powell advised to stay at central bank during DOJ probe
For months, it has been unclear what Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will do when his term as the central bank's leader ends in May. Powell could remain at the bank as a board member; if he leaves, it would give Trump another spot to install one of his own nominees at the central bank he fiercely battled.
A new filing gives a hint of what Powell may do.
The filing, part of the Justice Department's probe into Powell, says, "Chair Powell’s counsel made clear that, to defend the Federal Reserve’s independence, Chair Powell could not resign while the criminal investigation is pending."
That investigation, which a federal judge blocked Friday, has already been appealed by the Justice Department.
Powell and the Federal Reserve board are being represented in part by Robert Hur, the special counsel who investigated former President Joe Biden in Biden's handling of classified documents.
TSA callout rate surged over the weekend as partial shutdown continues
Staffing issues at the Transportation Security Administration surged over the weekend after officers missed their first full paychecks because of a partial government shutdown, creating hourslong wait times for travelers as callouts increase operational concerns, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
On Sunday, there were more than 111 incidents in which shortages threatened “operational integrity,” situations DHS describes as “hotspots.” Travelers across the country reported lengthy TSA lines that snaked through airports, with some waiting one to two hours at security checkpoints.
White House faces growing pressure over rising fuel costs
As the war in Iran enters its third week, the Trump administration faces growing pressure over surging gas prices, with the average price per gallon now at $3.72. Trump insists the price spike is temporary, and he is calling on the United Kingdom, France, Japan, South Korea and China as potential allies to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open. NBC News’ Garrett Haake reports for the "TODAY" show.
Trump, Johnson address Rep. Neal Dunn's 'terminal diagnosis'
At the Kennedy Center event, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., has health challenges that include a "pretty grim diagnosis."
"I mentioned it to the president. I said Congressman Dunn is a real champion and a patriot, because he's still coming to work. And if others got this diagnosis, they would be apt to go home and retire," Johnson said.
"What was the diagnosis?" Trump asked.
Johnson responded, "It was, I mean, I think it was a terminal diagnosis."
Trump interjected, saying, "He would be dead by June."
Johnson said that information hadn't been public, and he said, "But yeah, OK ... it was grim."
"This was a heart problem," Trump added.
Johnson said Trump called Dunn and mentioned getting his doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center involved with his treatment.
"And they did. And within a within a number of hours, they took him to Walter Reid emergency surgery," Johnson said. "The man has a new lease on life. He acts like he's 30 years younger, and he walked into the conference meeting, and we thought we'd seen a ghost."
Trump touts his plans for renovating the Kennedy Center
Trump said that his administration has made changes to the Kennedy Center over the last year "to restore the true purpose and prestige of this revered institution."
The president said at the Kennedy Center board meeting that the previous management at the center "left us a facility in very bad condition — abysmal is the word."
"Everything from busting pipes and leaks to serious electrical and structural problems, and some of it we fix, but most of, we're saving for during the construction period," he said. "Major renovations are required to keep the facility functional, and that will start right after July 4."
Trump said that "subject to board approval," his administration determined "that the fastest way to bring the Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of success, beauty and grandeur is to cease the entertainment operations for a two-year period of time as we complete high quality, really high quality construction."
The president said they purchased seating and marble, for example.
Trump said that his administration is going to ensure the Kennedy Center will "become the finest performing arts facility" in the world.
"It’s got the location, and it will have the building," Trump said. "It’s got good bones. It’s got good structure. Again, they wanted to originally cover the exposed seal. It was painted a cheap gold, and we turned it into a very expensively painted white, very powerful white."
Susie Wiles is at Kennedy Center board meeting
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is attending the Kennedy Center board meeting event at the White House this afternoon.
She's sitting next to Trump at a large table. Trump had announced just before the event that she has been diagnosed with "early stage" breast cancer.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles diagnosed with breast cancer, Trump says
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles was diagnosed with “early stage” breast cancer, Trump said.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that Wiles would begin treatment immediately and would remain in her role.
“She has a fantastic medical team, and her prognosis is excellent!” he said. adding, “During the treatment period, she will be spending virtually full time at the White House, which makes me, as President, very happy!”
Sheldon Whitehouse to skip Kennedy Center board meeting
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said he will skip today’s meeting of the Kennedy Center's board of trustees, where Trump is expected to make some remarks to reporters.
Whitehouse said in a news release that his "presence at this sham would serve no purpose."
Whitehouse is an ex-officio member of the board along with other members of Congress and administration officials, criticized the president for his takeover of the board, saying he would "not serve as a prop" at the meeting, which he expected would rubberstamp the president's "plan to shutter the Kennedy Center for years in the name of ‘renovations.’"
"The Kennedy Center belongs to the American people." Whitehouse said. "Rather than acting as a steward of this public treasure, current management has so severely looted the Center through self-dealing, favoritism, and waste that it now seeks to cover up those failures by shuttering the Kennedy Center altogether.”Several artists have canceled performances at the center since Trump packed the board with allies and had his name added to the exterior of the building.
Longtime Trump ally Ric Grenell is stepping down as head of the Kennedy Center after what was a tumultuous year for the center and will be replaced by Matt Floca, the vice president of facilities operations for the center.
Jeanine Pirro asks judge to reconsider his Jerome Powell order
As promised by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro in her fiery press conference Friday, the Justice Department has asked U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to reconsider his order quashing the subpoenas of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Steven Vandervelden in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia argues that a subpoena is allowed to be issued whenever there is a “reasonable possibility that the category of materials the Government seeks will produce information relevant to the general subject of the Gand jury’s investigation.” This remains true, the filing argues, “even where a subpoena recipient proposes a plausible theory of an ulterior motive.”
The Federal Reserve Board, the government says, has never disputed that “the subpoenas sought only materials directly related to the subjects of the grand jury’s investigation: the over budget renovations — estimated at over $1 billion, outrageous even by D.C. standards — as well as Chair Powell’s congressional testimony.”
The government began its grand jury investigation Jan. 7, “without publicity,” the filing said, before the nation’s U.S. attorneys met with officials at the White House. The two parties were apparently engaged in “good-faith discussions” when “to the USAO’s surprise,” the board’s motion to quash the subpoenas was filed.
Judge rules Democratic lawmaker must be allowed to attend Kennedy Center board meeting
A federal judge ruled over the weekend that a Democratic lawmaker who serves on the Kennedy Center board must be given a chance to participate in an upcoming meeting on plans to temporarily close the performance venue.
Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who is opposed to the planned two-year closure for renovations sought by Trump, filed a lawsuit that included a request that she be allowed to take part in today's board meeting at the White House, where the $200 million project is on the agenda. It also said she needed to receive details from the board about the renovation plans set for discussion.
State Department lowers price of renouncing U.S. citizenship to $450
The State Department has sharply lowered the price of renouncing U.S. citizenship, from $2,350 to $450.
The cost is now the same as it was before 2015 when it was raised to $2,350, an amount that had long been criticized as excessive by groups representing Americans living overseas. The new price, announced Friday in the Federal Register, takes effect starting April 13.
The change was welcomed by groups such as the Paris-based Association of Accidental Americans, which said it “acknowledges the necessity of making this fundamental right accessible to all.”
“This fee reduction is a concrete first victory — but our fight to have the right to renounce recognized as a fundamental constitutional right continues,” Fabien Lehagre, the group’s founder and president, said in a statement.
Elizabeth Warren demands Pete Hegseth share information about xAI’s access to classified networks
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today demanding information about the Pentagon’s reported decision to give Elon Musk’s xAI access to classified networks.
In the letter, Warren raised concerns that xAI and its AI-powered chatbot, Grok, could present critical safety and reliability risks to America’s military. Warren cited the possibility that Grok could leak classified information to adversaries, be manipulated based on biased or inaccurate data, or lack critical safety controls and put service members in danger.
Trump’s China trip might be delayed but not due to Hormuz demands, U.S. says
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared to cast doubt on Trump’s visit to China taking place as scheduled at the end of the month, but insisted this was not to pressure Beijing to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
“We will see whether the visit takes place as scheduled,” Bessent said. “But what I do want to parse, and there’s a false narrative out there that if the meetings are delayed, it wouldn’t be delayed because the President’s demanded that China police the Straits of Hormuz.”
He appeared to be referencing a story published by the Financial Times, which reported that Trump said in an interview that he wanted China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that he wanted to know before the planned summit. Trump said that “we may delay” the summit, but he did not tell the outlet for how long.
Bessent said on CNBC that if the trip is rescheduled, “it would be rescheduled because of logistics.”
“The president wants to remain, the, in D.C. to coordinate the war effort, and that traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal,” he said. Asked by CNBC to clarify whether the meeting could be rescheduled due to timing rather than a dispute over the strait, Bessent said “Exactly.”
“It would be a decision president made as commander in chief, to stay in the White House or to stay in the United States while this war is being prosecuted,” he said.
Later, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the trip might be delayed, adding, “As soon as we have an update, we’ll provide the new dates.” She said that Trump’s top priority was “to ensure the continued success” of the Iran operation.
NBC News has reached out to the White House for comment on the reason for the trip potentially being delayed.
Cuba will allow nationals living abroad to invest in and own businesses on the island, economic czar tells NBC News
Cuban nationals living abroad in places such as Miami will be allowed to invest in the private sector and own businesses in their homeland, the country’s economic czar has told NBC News in an exclusive interview.
Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, Cuba’s deputy prime minister, said that a “blockade” by the United States is hampering these efforts as the island grapples with an energy crisis, rare violent protests and public pressure from the Trump administration.
Illinois Senate primary tests Democrats’ anti-ICE message
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s Senate campaign has been blanketing the Illinois airwaves for months. For his final TV ad before tomorrow's Democratic primary, he focused on standing up to Trump and ICE.
So did the TV ad before that. And the one before that, too.
Fully two-thirds of the TV ads in the last month of the race have mentioned ICE, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. And it’s not just in Illinois: Nearly a quarter of all TV ads from Democratic campaigns across the country in the last month have referenced the agency.
The Illinois race — a contested open primary after Sen. Dick Durbin decided to retire — could be an early test of how anti-ICE messaging is playing out in Democratic primaries this year, including what most motivates the party base. Krishnamoorthi, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly have each staked out slightly different positions on the agency, with Krishnamoorthi speaking of reforms and abolishing “Trump’s ICE,” Stratton taking a simpler “abolish ICE” line, and Kelly calling to “dismantle” ICE.
Poll: Israel’s standing plummets among Democrats, fueling primaries on the left
American voters’ feelings on Israel and the Palestinian territories have shifted dramatically in recent years, in a sea change that is transforming the Democratic Party and shaping its primaries.
A new NBC News poll underscores the depths of the shift. More registered voters view Israel negatively than positively, a change from a few years ago. The change has been especially pronounced among independents and Democrats, fueling divided congressional primaries in 2026 and potentially shaping the party’s 2028 presidential contest.
