Trump announces Dan Bongino as Deputy FBI Director
President Trump announced Sunday that he would be choosing radio and podcast hot Dan Bongino, a longtime Trump ally, as the deputy FBI director.
'Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice! Dan Bongino, a man of incredible love and passion for our Country, has just been named the next DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, by the man who will be the best ever Director, Kash Patel,' Trump said on Truth Social.
Bongino is a former U.S. Secret Service agent that became known for his defense of Trump while previously appearing as a Fox News contributor.
'Thank you Mr. President, Attorney General Bondi, and Director Patel,' Bongino posted on X.
Trump highlighted that 'The Dan Bongino Show' host has a psychology master's degree from the City University of New York and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
'He was a member of the New York Police Department (New York's Finest!), a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, and is now one of the most successful Podcasters in the Country, something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve,' Trump said.
Trump offered up his congratulations and said Bongino will be working with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Patel to bring back fairness, justice, law and order to the country.
Just days ago, Patel was confirmed by the Senate to lead the FBI. A staunch ally of Trump's, Patel was one of the more controversial picks over his previous remarks.
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Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump booed and cheered at the Kennedy Center while attending 'Les Misérables'
WASHINGTON (AP) — The drama in the audience rivaled the spectacle on stage on Wednesday at the Kennedy Center, where President Donald Trump went to the opening night of 'Les Misérables' as he tightens his grip on the venerable performing arts institution. It was his first time attending a show there since his election, and he was booed and cheered as he took his seat alongside first lady Melania Trump. Near the end of the intermission, someone loudly cursed his name, drawing applause. Several drag queens were in the crowd, their presence a protest against Trump's complaints that the Kennedy Center had hosted too many drag shows in the past. Despite the condemnation, the event had a MAGA-does-Broadway feel. Ric Grenell, the Trump-appointed interim leader of the Kennedy Center, was there, as were Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha. Before the show began, Attorney General Pam Bondi chatted with guests and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took selfies. Laura Loomer, the conspiracy theorist who has advised Trump on personnel decisions, posted a video from a seat near the stage. Trump walked the red carpet with the first lady when they arrived at the Kennedy Center, which he's been remaking in his image while excising what he describes as liberal ideology. 'We want to bring it back, and we want to bring it back better than ever,' Trump said. The Republican president has a particular affection for 'Les Misérables,' the sprawling musical set in 19th-century France, and has occasionally played its songs at his events. One of them, 'Do You Hear the People Sing?,' is a revolutionary rallying cry inspired by the 1832 rebellion against the French king. The three-hour production featured singing and dancing, with the sounds of explosions and gunfire filling the theater as protesters and soldiers clashed on stage. For Trump's critics, it was an unnerving echo of what's unfolding in Los Angeles, where Trump has deployed National Guard troops in response to protests over his deportation policies. 'Someone explain the plot to him," California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, wrote on social media. Terry Gee, a bartender, bought his ticket for the show in November and didn't mind Trump's presence. It's his sixth time seeing 'Les Misérables,' and he said, 'I'm going to enjoy the show regardless." Hannah Watkins, a nurse, only learned that Trump would be there when the Kennedy Center distributed information about extra security and she searched online to see what was happening. 'I've seen a lot of famous people so far, which is exciting,' said Watkins, who had claimed a spot near the VIP entrance with her mother. 'Honestly, we just like 'Les Mis' and are excited to be here.' Before Trump, presidential involvement in the Kennedy Center's affairs had been limited to naming members to the board of trustees and attending the taping of its annual honors program in the fall. But after returning to office in January, Trump stunned the arts world by firing the Kennedy Center's longtime director and board and replacing them with loyalists, who then named him as chairman. Trump promised to overhaul its programming, management and even appearance as part of an effort to put his stamp on the national arts scene. His latest moves have upset some of the center's patrons and performers. In March, the audience booed the Vances after they slipped into upper-level seats to hear the National Symphony Orchestra. Trump appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board along with Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, among other supporters. Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Trump's takeover, and several touring productions, including 'Hamilton,' have canceled planned runs at the center. Actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Understudies may have performed in some roles Wednesday night because of boycotts by 'Les Misérables' cast members, but Trump said he wasn't bothered by anyone skipping the performance. 'I couldn't care less,' he said. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has adopted a more aggressive posture toward the arts. The White House has taken steps to cancel millions of dollars in previously awarded federal humanities grants to arts and culture groups, and Trump's budget blueprint proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Trump has also targeted Smithsonian museums by signing executive orders to restrict their funding and by attempting to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery. The president characterized previous programming at the Kennedy Center as 'out of control with rampant political propaganda' and said it featured 'some very inappropriate shows,' including a 'Marxist anti-police performance' and 'lesbian-only Shakespeare.' The Kennedy Center, which is supported by government money and private donations, opened in 1971 and for decades has been seen as an apolitical celebration of the arts. It was first conceived in the late 1950s during the administration of Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who backed a bill from the Democratic-led Congress calling for a National Culture Center. In the early 1960s, Democratic President John F. Kennedy launched a fundraising initiative, and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed into law a 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy had been assassinated the year before. ___ Associated Press writer Mark Kennedy in New York contributed to this report. Darlene Superville And Chris Megerian, The Associated Press
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Booed at Kennedy Center, Drowned Out By 'USA' Chants
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump got a mixed reception at the Kennedy Center theater, where he watched the opening night performance of "Les Misérables" on Wednesday evening, but the boos and jeers were soon drowned out by chants of "USA". Trump waved and clapped as he entered the theater to the sound of both cheering and booing, a video posted to social media showed. A woman in another video can be seen shouting "felon" and "rapist" at Trump as another theatergoers urges her to "stop it". The president attended the performance with First Lady Melania Trump. .@realDonaldTrump gets cheered and booed at the Kennedy Center. — Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) June 11, 2025 "I couldn't care less" is what @realDonaldTrump said when asked what his response was to some Les Mis cast and crew potentially boycotting his attendance at the @kencen tonight This was the reaction to him walking in - a mix of cheers and boos More on @wusa9 — 𝙆𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚 𝙇𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙤 (@KatieLusso) June 12, 2025 This is a developing article. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lockheed Martin shares sank as much as 7% after a report that the Pentagon is halving F-35 requests for the Air Force
Lockheed Martin shares initially fell 7% after a report that the US is reducing its F-35 requests. The Defense Department has reportedly dropped its ask from 48 fighters for the Air Force to 24, The request isn't final, but it could signify changing priorities within the Pentagon under Trump. Lockheed Martin shares dropped as much as 7% on Wednesday after news that the Pentagon is asking for half of the F-35s it initially forecast for the Air Force. The defense contractor's shares recovered to $456 at market close, or about 4.2% lower from $476, the price at the end of Tuesday's trading day. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that a procurement document sent to Congress indicated the Defense Department is requesting only 24 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters for the Air Force, down from 48 that officials projected in the last fiscal year. Per the outlet, the document also proposed 12 F-35s for the Navy and 11 for the Marine Corps, down from 17 and 13 fighters, respectively. Business Insider could not independently verify Bloomberg's report. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours. The US is by far Lockheed Martin's biggest customer for the F-35, with plans to buy 2,456 of the aircraft over several decades. The Air Force is supposed to eventually receive 1,763 of that total. When asked to comment on a possible reduction of local F-35 purchases this year, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson told BI in a statement that the fighter is "combat proven, offers the most advanced capability and technology, and is the most affordable option to ensure the US and allies remain ahead of emerging threats." "We will continue to work closely with the Administration, Congress, and our customers to deliver this game-changing capability as the budget process continues in the months ahead," the spokesperson added. A reduced ask for F-35s can potentially be changed by Congress, which is still deliberating on official defense funding for the 2025 fiscal year ending on September 30. Lawmakers have shown they're willing to fund the advanced stealth fighter beyond the Pentagon's requests. When the Air Force requested 48 F-35s from Congress last year, it was instead offered money for 51 of the planes. Doubling the requested budget, however, would be a huge jump from that smaller boost. The reported change could also signify an internal reshaping of the Pentagon's spending priorities under the Trump administration. In February, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked officials to slash 8% of expenses from existing programs over the next five years so the money could be directed to Trump-favored initiatives. His announcement highlighted 17 categories protected from cuts, and the F-35 was not one of them. All of this comes as those in Trump's circles have publicly criticized the F-35 for its cost and relevance amid the rise of drone warfare. Right-wing commentator Laura Loomer, for example, slammed the F-35 program in April as a "scandal that's been quietly draining our nation's resources." And last month, Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz posted on X that the fighter program was a "$1.7 trillion disaster." While some, like Elon Musk, have suggested that drones make crewed fighters obsolete, the US military says it wants to marry the two concepts instead of abandoning the latter. The Air Force has said combining crewed fighters with drone wingmen is a key priority for the F-47, its next-generation air dominance fighter. Lockheed was in the running to produce that fighter, but lost out to Boeing. However, Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet has said that his firm wants to enhance the F-35 using the tech it created for the failed bid. Taiclet said that plans include automating the sixth-generation fighter and juicing it up to provide most of the capabilities of the F-47 for a fraction of the cost. Read the original article on Business Insider
