Donald Trump Says He Could Have Been a Flutist
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 has revealed he was a talented musician as a child and excelled at playing the flute.
In a wide-ranging interview for the Pod Force One podcast, Trump said he had a gift for music from an early age that he could have been a flutist.
"I had flute lessons! This is the first person who's ever asked me that question," he told Miranda Devine. "Can you believe it, I could've been a flutist. I didn't particularly like it, it wasn't for me."
He also spoke about the importance of music in his life.
"Music has been important. Also, it gives you energy... People that produce good music are really talented, it's not an easy thing to do," he said.
He said he liked different types of music: "I like country music a lot. I think Elton John is terrific. I think he's absolutely terrific. And there're some people that make it that I don't think are that talented."
This is a developing story—more to follow.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
People Are Absolutely Dragging JD Vance For His "Cringe" Tweet About "Les Mis"
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, joined President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for a performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday evening. Many found it ironic, given that the musical is about an uprising against abusive authority figures. But just before the show, Vance wanted to make it very clear he had no idea what it was about. The vice president posted: @JDVance / Via In a follow-up tweet, the vice president added: 'That's apparently a different thing called Sweeney Todd.' @JDVance / Via Twitter: @JDVance Given that Les Misérables is one of the most enduring and widely performed modern musicals ― and that it's based on what's considered one of the most important novels of the 19th century ― not many people are buying Vance's ignorance. And they let him know on X: @DSAOrangeCounty / Via @SonnyBunch / Via @alex_shephard / Via Related: The Internet Is Having A Field Day Over Marjorie Taylor Greene's Tweet About Homeschooling With An Altered Map @CanadianKobzar / Via @Biedersam / Via @realStevenWalk / Via @AttalAurelia / Via Related: A NSFW Float Depicting Donald Trump's "MAGA" Penis Was Just Paraded Around Germany, And It' LauraBedrossian / Via @Richard_Vixen / Via @jaredlipof / Via @taylorttt / Via @dwaldenwrites / Via @StatisticUrban / Via @mccue / Via @Letterb0xed / Via @The_Wireman / Via This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: JD Vance Shared The Most Bizarre Tweet Of Him Serving "Food" As Donald Trump's Housewife Also in In the News: This Senator's Clap Back Fully Gagged An MSNBC Anchor, And The Clip Is Going Viral Also in In the News: AOC's Viral Response About A Potential Presidential Run Has Everyone Watching, And I'm Honestly Living For It
Newsweek
38 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Major WWE Change Is Planned For Seth Rollins: Report
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. WWE fans may soon have a new song to sing when Seth Rollins makes his entrance, as the company is reportedly working on a new theme that may better reflect his new heel persona. The 2025 Men's Money in the Bank winner has been undergoing a character shift since aligning with Paul Heyman at WrestleMania 41. A new report from Cory Hays of now indicates the next step in that shift may be the debut of a new song for Rollins and his new faction. A New Sound For Seth Rollins For years, WWE fans have sung along to Rollins' theme, but a change is reportedly on the horizon. The new theme will mark a significant shift, as it is said to be a collaboration with a major, currently unnamed musical artist. The report states that WWE is working with a mainstream artist to create a new theme song for Rollins and his group. Collaborations with mainstream artists are typically reserved for WWE's biggest stars, signaling a major investment in Rollins' new direction and his position in the group. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation An Official Name For The New Faction In addition to new music, the report notes that Rollins' new group will soon receive an official identity. The alliance, which consists of Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman, has been a dominant force on RAW but has yet to be given a formal name. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 19: Paul Heyman (L) raises Seth Rollins' hand after his Triple Threat match victory over CM Punk and Roman Reigns during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2025... LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 19: Paul Heyman (L) raises Seth Rollins' hand after his Triple Threat match victory over CM Punk and Roman Reigns during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. MoreThe report adds that this group is expected to receive its official faction name soon. There is currently no reported timeline on when the new song or faction name could debut on WWE programming. With the Money in the Bank briefcase in his possession, Rollins and his crew could appear on any show at any time. At WWE Money in the Bank on June 7, 2025, Rollins became Mr. Money in the Bank for the second time in his career, winning a chaotic ladder match and securing a contract for a world championship match at any time of his choosing. The main event of the show saw Rollins compete against LA Knight, Solo Sikoa, Andrade, Penta, and El Grande Americano. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago seeing fewer international travelers, but local hotels still expect ‘solid' summer
The number of international guests staying at Chicago hotels is down amid tensions between the Trump administration and other nations, and economic uncertainty is discouraging business travel. But local hoteliers say they still expect a busy summer, thanks in part to a tourism calendar that relies heavily on domestic leisure travelers coming in for events like Lollapalooza and July's two-day NASCAR Chicago Street Race. 'It's true we're seeing a drop in foreign inbound travelers, but the drop is not significant,' said Maverick Hotels and Restaurants CEO Robert Habeeb, the proprietor of the 223-room Sable at Navy Pier. Government-related travel is also down after months of spending cuts by the administration of President Donald Trump, Habeeb said. 'But in the summer, it's leisure, leisure, leisure and most of these folks will show up. It's going to be a solid summer,' he said. The decline in international travelers to Chicago is difficult to measure, as hotels generally don't report statistics on guests' country of origin, said Brian Arevalo, managing director with HVS, a consultant for the hospitality industry. 'But it has been noticed and it's something we're hearing a lot about from hotel operators,' he said. Andrew Eck, general manager of L7 Chicago By LOTTE, a 191-room hotel at 225 N. Wabash Ave., said summer bookings from Canadians were off by about 25% compared with 2024. The number of Asian guests at the hotel, which carries a Seoul-based brand, seems steady, he said. Overall, the summer is shaping up to be a busy one, Eck said. 'Because we were under construction for part of the year in 2024, we are seeing growth that's off the charts. We could sell out every single day this summer.' It's already been a solid year. Healthy attendance at some conventions held at the McCormick Convention Center, along with blockbuster events, including Beyoncé's three-night, sold-out 'Cowboy Carter' extravaganza in May at Soldier Field, kept Chicago hotels ahead of their 2024 pace. About 1.3 million people are expected to attend McCormick Center events in 2025, according to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the municipal corporation also known as McPier, which owns McCormick Center. That's still far below pre-pandemic numbers, when the venue typically attracted between 2 million and 2.9 million visitors. But some conventions are close to full recoveries, said McPier CEO Larita Clark. The International Manufacturing Technology Show attracted almost 90,000 visitors last year, compared with the more than 100,000 seen pre-COVID. In March, ProMat 2025, a manufacturing and supply chain convention, brought about 52,000 to McCormick Center. 'That show set a new attendance record,' Clark said. Chicago hotel occupancy hit 65.6% in April, up from 64.6% last April, while the average daily rate for a room increased from $150.96 to $157.89, a 4.6% bump, according to CoStar data. 'We are ahead of where we were last year,' said Kiara Felfle, director of sales at The Robey Chicago, an 89-room boutique hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side. 'Beyoncé's concerts were a record-breaking time for us as far as occupancy goes.' The Robey Chicago, which opened in 2016 in the landmark Northwest Tower, anticipates a stream of customers this summer, many headed to the neighborhood's many street festivals and small music venues. 'Chicago really shines in the summer, so it's a big time for us, and this year will be no different,' she said. The Trump administration tightened border controls and began imposing on-again, off-again tariffs on many nations this year, including Canada and China, souring relations and leading some travelers to cancel U.S. trips. 'While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the 'closed' sign,' said World Travel & Tourism Council CEO Julia Simpson in May. The council estimates international visitor spending in the U.S. will decline from $181 billion in 2024 to $169 billion this year, 22% lower than the peak year of 2019. Early summer bookings by Canadians were already down more than 20% year-over-year, with March visits from the United Kingdom falling 15%, and German travelers declining by 28%. Chicago hotels should be able to absorb the hit. The city attracted 55 million total visitors in 2024, according to Choose Chicago, the city's tourist agency. About 2 million were international travelers, so if the city sees fewer people from overseas this year, domestic tourists may fill the gap. 'Based on our monthly projections that are tracking 3-4% higher year-over-year, and with recent record-breaking weekends for hotel occupancy as well as several conferences that are setting records for attendance and room blocks, we are expecting a slight increase in our summer hotel occupancy over 2024,' Choose Chicago CEO Kristen Reynolds said in a statement. Juan Leyva, general manager of the 452-room LondonHouse Chicago at 85 E. Wacker Drive, said the hotel will shift its summer marketing strategy, hopefully making up for any international losses by bringing more guests in from Indianapolis, Detroit and other domestic markets, especially for the Lollapalooza and NASCAR weekends. 'We are on a good pace for Lollapalooza, slightly ahead of last year,' Leyva said. 'Being a drive-in event, it doesn't really depend on international travel.' Chicago's cold and rainy spring led many tourists to book rooms at the last minute and was probably a bigger concern than the decline in international travel, he said. 'We're finally getting summer, but it did take a long time,' he said. 'When all is said and done, we expect to be in line with last year, and maybe a little bit ahead.'
