logo
House Republicans propose naming Kennedy Center's opera house after Melania Trump

House Republicans propose naming Kennedy Center's opera house after Melania Trump

CBS News5 days ago
House Republicans on Tuesday advanced a measure that would rename the Kennedy Center for the Arts' opera house after first lady Melania Trump — as President Trump and his allies boost their influence over the D.C. cultural institution.
The proposed renaming was folded into an amendment to a bill that would set fiscal year 2026 funding levels for the Interior Department and several other federal agencies, including the Kennedy Center. The amendment — and the bill itself — were advanced by the House Appropriations Committee in a hearing Tuesday.
The renaming was authored by Republican Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho, who pointed to the first lady's role as honorary chair of the Kennedy Center board.
The renaming was not requested by the Trump administration, Simpson's communications director Lexi Hamel told CBS News in an email.
"Naming a theater after her is an excellent way to recognize her appreciation for the arts," Simpson, who chairs the Appropriations Committee's Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee, wrote in a statement.
The subcommittee's top Democrat, Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, criticized the renaming idea in Tuesday's hearing and said she was surprised to learn about it.
"The Republicans snuck in, I think, something that's slightly divisive, which is renaming one section of the Kennedy Center after a family member of this administration," she said.
CBS News has reached out to the White House for comment.
The nameplate over the opera house — which seats nearly 2,400 people and is one of several spaces in the Kennedy Center — is unlikely to change any time soon. Spending bills like the one advanced Tuesday generally need 60 votes to pass the Senate, meaning even if it makes it through the full House intact, several Senate Democrats will need to vote for it. Lawmakers also have until the end of September to pass funding measures in order to avert the possibility of a potential partial government shutdown.
But the idea follows a push by Mr. Trump to assert more control over the Kennedy Center.
Weeks after retaking office, Mr. Trump removed some members of the cultural institution's board of trustees and stocked the board with a range of Trump allies — including Attorney General Pam Bondi and country singer Lee Greenwood. Mr. Trump now serves as chairman of the Kennedy Center board, and his ally Richard Grenell, who also serves as the White House envoy for special missions, is the center's president.
The moves were partially intended to pivot the Kennedy Center away from what the president views as "woke culture," a source told CBS News earlier this year. Mr. Trump has publicly criticized some of the performances hosted by the center.
"NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA — ONLY THE BEST," he wrote on Truth Social in February.
The moves have drawn criticism, with the producers of musical megahit "Hamilton" calling off a slate of performances next year due to what it called "a new spirit of partisanship." Last month, the president and first lady attended a performance of "Les Miserables" at the Kennedy Center, drawing a mixture of cheers and boos.
Pingree criticized Republicans' handling of the Kennedy Center in Tuesday's hearing, arguing the party has given the president "carte blanche" over the cultural center. She pointed to the $256.7 million appropriated for the Kennedy Center over the next four years in the Trump-backed "big, beautiful bill" that passed earlier this month.
Simpson responded Tuesday, "Let me see if I got this straight: So, we're upset that we didn't fund the arts, but we're upset that we did fund the arts?"
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mike Johnson says Ghislaine Maxwell pardon would give him ‘pause,' won't get ahead of Trump
Mike Johnson says Ghislaine Maxwell pardon would give him ‘pause,' won't get ahead of Trump

Yahoo

time18 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Mike Johnson says Ghislaine Maxwell pardon would give him ‘pause,' won't get ahead of Trump

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said he believes Ghislaine Maxwell, a key associate of Jeffrey Epstein currently serving 20 years in prison for conspiring to sexually abuse minors, should face "a life sentence." "If you're asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance," Johnson told NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press" July 27. "I think she should have a life sentence, at least." His remarks to NBC come as many, including supporters of President Donald Trump, clamor for testimony from Maxwell. Some followers of the case have proposed a pardon in exchange, but Trump told reporters on July 25 he hadn't considered the move. "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about," the president said. Epstein was charged with sexually trafficking minors and died by suicide while in detention in 2019. Maxwell, his longtime girlfriend, has been accused of recruiting minors for the disgraced financier's predation. Maxwell maintains her innocence and is appealing her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction. Johnson in his interview with NBC reiterated that pardons aren't up to him, telling the outlet, "obviously that's a decision of the president." "I won't get in front of him," Johnson said. "That's not my lane." But, later in the interview he noted, "It's hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it." "So, again, not my decision," he added, "but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would." The Trump administration for weeks has faced backlash over its handling of Epstein's case. Critics from Democratic lawmakers to prominent Republicans and slices of Trump's voter base accuse the president and other officials of not being transparent with the American people. The speaker has faced his own ongoing Epstein-related criticism, as some House Republicans have zeroed in on the Justice Department's recent review of Epstein's case and are calling for related documents to be released publicly. Democrats in Congress have piled on too. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-California, and Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, introduced a bipartisan measure to force the Trump administration's hand in releasing the federal government's files. Also on "Meet The Press," the pair split on pardoning Maxwell. "That would be up to the president," Massie said. "But if she has information that could help us, then I think she should testify. Let's get that out there. And whatever they need to do to compel that testimony, as long as it's truthful, I would be in favor of." Khanna disagreed, saying Maxwell shouldn't receive a pardon. "Look, I agree with Congressman Massie that she should testify," the California Democrat said. "But she's been indicted twice on perjury. This is why we need the files. This is why we need independent evidence." Contributing: Bart Jansen and Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Johnson reacts to possible pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell

Johnson says Ghislaine Maxwell deserves life sentence over Epstein crimes, rejects potential pardon
Johnson says Ghislaine Maxwell deserves life sentence over Epstein crimes, rejects potential pardon

Fox News

time20 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Johnson says Ghislaine Maxwell deserves life sentence over Epstein crimes, rejects potential pardon

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Sunday that Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell deserves a life sentence, rejecting the idea of a potential pardon for the convicted sex trafficker. In an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Johnson was asked if he supported a pardon for Maxwell, but the speaker emphasized that the decision ultimately belongs to President Donald Trump. "I think 20 years was a pittance," Johnson said of Maxwell's time behind bars. "I think she should have a life sentence, at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes." "I mean it's hard to put into words how evil this was and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing," Johnson added, acknowledging that federal prosecutors identified more than 1,000 victims, many of whom were underage. "So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that as any reasonable person would." While leaving the White House on Friday en route for Scotland, Trump was asked if he considered a pardon or clemency for Maxwell. The president left the door open, responding: "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about." Johnson said he supports the position of the president, the FBI and the Justice Department that "all credible evidence and information" be released, but emphasized the need for safeguards to protect victims' identities. As for Maxwell, she was questioned by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche at federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, for two consecutive days last week. Her lawyer told reporters she answered questions on about 100 potential Epstein associates as she angles for clemency. "That's a decision of the president," Johnson said of a potential Maxwell pardon. "He said he had not adequately considered that. I won't get in front of him. That's not my lane. My lane is to help direct and control the House of Representatives and to use every tool within our arsenal to get to the truth. I'm going to say this as clearly and plainly and repeatedly as I can over and over. We are for maximum disclosure. We want all transparency. I trust the American people. I and the House Republicans believe that they should have all this information to be able to determine what they will. But we have to protect the innocent. And that's the only safeguard here that we've got to be diligent about, and I'm insistent upon doing so." Johnson criticized a petition for the release of all the Epstein files brought by Reps. Thomas Massie, and Ro Khanna, D-Penn., as "reckless" and poorly drafted, arguing that it ignored federal rules protecting grand jury materials and "would require the DOJ and FBI to release information that they know is false, that is based on lies and rumors and was not even credible enough to be entered into the court proceedings." The speaker said the petition also lacked safeguards for minor victims who were subjected to "unspeakable crimes, abject evil" and who risk being "unmasked." Johnson said Massie and Khanna "cite that they don't want child abuse, sex abuse information uncovered, but they cite the wrong provision of the federal code, and so it makes it unworkable." The speaker argued Republicans on the House Rules Committee are committed to a better drafted approach that will protect the innocent. Asked about a potential pardon for Maxwell, Massie told NBC's Kristen Welker earlier in the program that it "would be up to the president, but if she has information that could help us, I think that she should testify." "Let's get that out there, and whatever they need to do to compel that testimony, as long as it's truthful, I would be in favor of," Massie said. Khanna said he did not believe Maxwell's sentence should be commuted and that he was concerned that Blanche was meeting with her. He said he agreed with Massie that Maxwell should testify but noted she has been indicted twice for perjury. "This is why we need the files. This is why we need independent evidence," Khanna said.

Fed Is Set for Contentious Debate as Investors Eye Fall Rate Cut
Fed Is Set for Contentious Debate as Investors Eye Fall Rate Cut

Bloomberg

time20 minutes ago

  • Bloomberg

Fed Is Set for Contentious Debate as Investors Eye Fall Rate Cut

By and Catarina Saraiva Save Federal Reserve officials are determined to hold interest rates steady a little while longer, though an increasingly contentious debate at this week's policy meeting may bolster expectations for rate cuts in the fall. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is under intense pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies to reduce borrowing costs, and may face multiple dissents this week from officials who want to provide support to a slowing labor market.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store