Latest news with #JoeKennedy
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside JFK's first love, a suspected Nazi spy who stole Adolf Hitler's heart
omantic life might have turned out different had his father Joe Kennedy, allowed him to marry his first love, Inga Arvad, a woman Joe referred to as a 'Nazi b***h'. In the new book JFK: Public, Private, Secret, author J Randy Taraborrelli claims that JFK never truly got over the heartbreak and being forced to split from Arvad - and held it against his father until the day he died. The young Kennedy met Inga Arvad in October 1941. At 28, the Danish journalist was four years older than him and already twice married. But their attraction was electric, writes Taraborrelli. 'He had charm that makes the birds come out of the trees,' the book reports that Arvad wrote of Jack, 'natural, engaging, ambitious, warm, and when he walked into a room you knew he was there, not pushing, not domineering but exuding animal magnetism.' Arvad's son, Ron McCoy, told Taraborrelli: 'For my mom it was pretty much love at first sight. That's how she described it to me anyway. She called it an "awakening," her chemistry with Jack Kennedy being so instantaneous. 'It was as if they'd known each other in some other life and were now picking up where they'd left off. It felt natural. It felt organic. Above all, she said, it felt real.' For his part, Jack was apparently also smitten. She had it all: brains, beauty, and the uncanny ability to see him for who he truly was. And, according to Taraborrelli, Jack referred to her as 'Inga Binga,' and they spent every night they could... in bed. But just two months into their romance, America was on the brink of war, and Arvad was accused of being a Nazi spy. The source of the accusation was an alleged photograph of her with Hitler. Unsurprisingly, the FBI - and its powerful director J Edgar Hoover - got involved, and Hoover demanded nothing less than weekly updates on the case. Arvad was forced to admit that she had, indeed, met the Hitler in Berlin six years earlier, when she'd interviewed him for a Danish newspaper. The following year, Hitler invited Arvad to join him in his box at the 1936 Olympics, then to a private lunch, during which he'd given her a questionable gift: a framed photograph of himself. 'She accepted it,' said Taraborrelli, 'but it made her nervous because it was starting to feel to her that maybe he was interested in her.' She had reason to worry. Hitler was likely infatuated with her, having described her as 'the most perfect example of Nordic beauty'. Arvad told Jack - and the FBI - that, following the lunch, 'someone with strong Nazi connections suddenly tried to recruit her as a spy' but she 'immediately rejected the proposition'. Terrified at the implications of her refusal, she escaped to Denmark, then Washington, where she met Jack. While disturbed by the revelations, Jack believed his lover, according to Taraborreli. They'd been together only three months, but they'd already discussed marriage. He was determined to fight for her. But Joe Kennedy was reportedly having none of it. During a heated showdown with his son, he demanded that Jack break it off with the 'Nazi b***h' immediately. The FBI eventually dropped its investigation in August 1942, finding no evidence against Arvad. But, ultimately, it wasn't enough to save the affair. Jack had caved under pressure and broken off the relationship five months earlier. It would be 10 years before he was ready to commit again. Like Arvad, Jacqueline Bouvier was incredibly intelligent, and independent. And, while her dark hair and close attention to her perfect makeup were in stark contrast to the free-spirited Dane, what she had on her side was timing. The family was all in agreement: Jack needed a wife if he was ever going to be president. They worried that he was 'obviously lukewarm' about Bouvier - but if not her, then who? Joe reportedly responded: 'I actually don't care who, so long as she didn't go to Hitler's funeral.' Jack proposed the following summer, but the author suggests that it took a long time before it became a love match. He reports Bouvier's mother, Janet Auchincloss, asked her daughter, upon hearing of their engagement: 'Do you love him?' 'It's not that simple,' she replied. 'It is, Jacqueline,' her mother shot back. 'Do. You. Love. Him?' The future First Lady's response remained non-committal: 'I enjoy him.' Taraborrelli also claims Bouvier confided in Betty Beale, the society columnist at the Washington Evening Star, around the same time, saying she felt 'Jack had been pulling away ever since the engagement was announced'. 'True to his character,' writes Taraborrelli, 'while they had been dating, he was interested in her on some days, less interested on others. She said she saw in him what she often noticed in his father toward his mother: indifference.' Just a few weeks before his wedding, Jack insisted on going on a boys-only vacation to the famous Cap-Eden-Roc hotel in Cannes where, if he'd had his way, he would have begun a torrid affair with a woman who bore more than a passing resemblance to Inga Arvad, according to Taraborrelli. Gunilla von Post was Swedish, and just 21 when she met the future president in the south of France. She was 'definitely young,' writes Taraborrelli, 'but he didn't see that as a problem.' Both blondes also bear an uncanny resemblance to the woman who would be forever inextricably linked to the Kennedy: Marilyn Monroe. On Jack's return to the U.S., he made the unusual step of asking his future mother-in-law to add his first love, Arvad, to the wedding guest list. But under questioning about this last-minute addition, he let it drop. Taraborrelli notes: 'While Jack hadn't seen Inga in six years, apparently he was still in touch with her. Maybe it shows the bond he still had with her that he wanted her at his wedding, but it also shows a foolish lapse in judgment. Certainly not much good would come from Inga's presence.' Two years after his wedding, however, it seems Gunilla von Post's rejection of his sexual advances was still very much on his mind. And, in the wake of a devastating miscarriage, which left his now-wife with crippling anxiety attacks, Jack made the astonishingly selfish proposition that they go on separate trips: she to visit her sister in England, while he would attempt once more to get von Post into bed on her home turf. Kennedy and von Post reportedly spent a week together in Sweden, with Jack's partner in crime Torbert Macdonald as fixer. And this time, he got what he wanted, says Taraborrelli. 'Some of Gunilla's descriptions of her time with Jack that week - "We were wonderfully sensual. There were times when just the stillness of being together was thrilling enough" - sound a great deal more like some sort of starry-eyed, fictional version of JFK than a realistic one,' reasons Taraborrelli. 'Much of what she'd recall… sounds unlikely given what we now know of his remote personality of the 1950s. It does, however, maybe sound like the JFK of the 1940s, the more romantic version of him back in the days when he was with Inga Arvad. Maybe, in this case, the devil isn't in the details, though. 'There are enough witnesses to Jack and [Gunilla von Post's] public outings, including close friends and relatives she identified by name, to confirm that they were definitely together.' On the flight home, Macdonald told a friend that Jack suddenly felt the weight of what he'd done, and was filled with remorse. 'This was a s****y thing to do to Jackie,' the book reports him as saying. 'This was a mistake.' While von Post was convinced it was just the start of their affair, in the end, the two never saw each other again. 'Jack told intimates… that he'd been rationalizing his bad behavior for so long, it had become second nature to do so,' writes Taraborrelli. 'His father was to blame, he'd sometimes reason. After all, if not for Joe, he would've ended up with Inga Arvad, someone he truly loved, instead of Jackie, someone he married for political purposes and then grew to love.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
JFK's love triangle... with Hitler! His father called her a 'Nazi b***h'. But Kennedy still bedded her, even after she admitted the 'gift' the Führer gave her in Berlin
John F Kennedy's numerous rumored affairs are arguably as much a part of the Camelot legend as his presidency, his alleged mafia connections and his subsequent assassination. But JFK's twisted romantic life might have turned about so very different had his father, the fiercely controlling patriarch Joe Kennedy, allowed his charming, quietly intelligent middle son to marry his first love, Inga Arvad, a woman Joe referred to as a 'Nazi b***h.'
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Awaiting Trump's "sanctuary" list, Iowa sheriff who rejected pact with ICE warns of possible repercussions
An Iowa sheriff is warning that his county may be publicly shamed by the Trump administration for insufficiently backing the president's immigration agenda, though he says he is "more than happy" to help. He said he just wants to ensure he doesn't end up with too few officers, jail beds and dollars to respond to the county's needs. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy, who serves nearly 100,000 people in the area bordering Wisconsin and Illinois, seemed to try not to alienate the federal government when he declined to participate in a program that would commit county revenue and jail space to immigration enforcement. He explained his decision before a packed county chamber this week, drawing mixed reactions. President Donald Trump directed his administration in an executive order last month to "publish a list of States and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions)." Sanctuaries are generally understood to mean state and local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but Trump didn't elaborate on the criteria. Jonathan Thompson, executive director and chief executive officer of the National Sheriffs' Association, addressed the order in a May 2 note to his members, including Kennedy, according to documents released for the county meeting. Thompson said the list may be published before Trump's May 28 deadline and he encouraged those interested in training and empowering their officers to enforce immigration laws to "act quickly." The number of state and local agencies that have deputized staff to enforce federal immigration laws has soared since Trump took office to 588 in 40 states, with 83 applications pending, as of May 19. Immigration laws are federal, and enforcing them is largely a federal responsibility. Kennedy replied to an invitation from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in March, saying it wasn't "a good fit" to enter a 287(g) agreement, which refers to the section of a 1996 law that allows for state and local police to make immigration arrests. He made clear it was about money and jail space, not politics. "It has generally been my experience that when we partner with larger entities (Federal, state), those agencies usually 'take' more than they 'give.' Essentially, we usually end up with the short end of the stick in some way," he wrote. Kennedy said he would be "more than happy to assist your agents in our area" but asked ICE not to rely on his 181-bed jail because he doesn't have room. David Bindert, an official in ICE's Cedar Rapids, Iowa, office, was sympathetic in his brief response: "No worries Sir, I completely understand, and I thank you for your time in this matter." Some residents at a county board of supervisors meeting Monday supported Kennedy, a Democrat. Others wanted him to do more with immigration authorities. A Republican supervisor suggested a 287(g) agreement might cost the county or taxpayers but would be essential for public safety. Kennedy told residents that his office has been, and will be, a partner to ICE but that a "binding agreement" could detract from other law enforcement work. "When you partner with the federal government, our employees then have the potential to become their employees," he said. An Iowa law prohibits state and local officials from adopting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Attorney General Brenna Bird recently sued the Winneshiek County sheriff over a Facebook post that she said discouraged cooperation, potentially jeopardizing state funding to the county. The Trump administration has also taken legal action against governments with policies limiting immigration arrests, suing Chicago, Denver and Rochester, New York. Thompson, who represented his association's more than 3,000 sheriffs when Trump signed the April 28 order, said the president has been clear that he'd look to "every nook and cranny" for support in enforcing immigration laws. But Thompson said that each sheriff has to make a decision that's right for their community. Some may not have money or jail space, jeopardizing other obligations. "Every sheriff needs another mandate like they need a hole in their head," he said. So far Iowa has one agency signed up for the program: the state Department of Public Safety. No other agency is listed as having active or pending 287(g) agreements. Florida has 255, more than any state. ICE did not respond to AP questions on whether an agency that declined a 287(g) agreement would be included on the administration's sanctuary list. Thompson said he doesn't know. "What I'm trying to do is advise members," he said. "There are challenges, there are opportunities and there are risks."
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Iowa sheriff who won't join immigration enforcement program heeds risk of 'sanctuary' status
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa sheriff is warning that his county may be publicly shamed by the Trump administration for insufficiently backing the president's immigration agenda, though he says he is 'more than happy' to help. He said he just wants to ensure he doesn't end up with too few officers, jail beds and dollars to respond to the county's needs. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy, who serves nearly 100,000 people in the area bordering Wisconsin and Illinois, seemed to try not to alienate the federal government when he declined to participate in a program that would commit county revenue and jail space to immigration enforcement. He explained his decision before a packed county chamber this week, drawing mixed reactions. President Donald Trump directed his administration in an executive order last month to 'publish a list of States and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions).' Sanctuaries are generally understood to mean state and local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but Trump didn't elaborate on the criteria. Jonathan Thompson, executive director and chief executive officer of the National Sheriffs' Association, addressed the order in a May 2 note to his members, including Kennedy, according to documents released for the county meeting. Thompson said the list may be published before Trump's May 28 deadline and he encouraged those interested in training and empowering their officers to enforce immigration laws to 'act quickly.' The number of state and local agencies that have deputized staff to enforce federal immigration laws has soared since Trump took office to 588 in 40 states, with 83 applications pending, as of May 19. Immigration laws are federal, and enforcing them is largely a federal responsibility. Kennedy replied to an invitation from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in March, saying it wasn't 'a good fit' to enter a 287(g) agreement, which refers to the section of a 1996 law that allows for state and local police to make immigration arrests. He made clear it was about money and jail space, not politics. 'It has generally been my experience that when we partner with larger entities (Federal, state), those agencies usually 'take' more than they 'give.' Essentially, we usually end up with the short end of the stick in some way,' he wrote. Kennedy said he would be 'more than happy to assist your agents in our area' but asked ICE not to rely on his 181-bed jail because he doesn't have room. David Bindert, an official in ICE's Cedar Rapids, Iowa, office, was sympathetic in his brief response: 'No worries Sir, I completely understand, and I thank you for your time in this matter.' Some residents at a county board of supervisors meeting Monday supported Kennedy, a Democrat. Others wanted him to do more with immigration authorities. A Republican supervisor suggested a 287(g) agreement might cost the county or taxpayers but would be essential for public safety. Kennedy told residents that his office has been, and will be, a partner to ICE but that a 'binding agreement' could detract from other law enforcement work. 'When you partner with the federal government, our employees then have the potential to become their employees,' he said. An Iowa law prohibits state and local officials from adopting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Attorney General Brenna Bird recently sued the Winneshiek County sheriff over a Facebook post that she said discouraged cooperation, potentially jeopardizing state funding to the county. The Trump administration has also taken legal action against governments with policies limiting immigration arrests, suing Chicago, Denver and Rochester, New York. Thompson, who represented his association's more than 3,000 sheriffs when Trump signed the April 28 order, said the president has been clear that he'd look to 'every nook and cranny' for support in enforcing immigration laws. But Thompson said that each sheriff has to make a decision that's right for their community. Some may not have money or jail space, jeopardizing other obligations. 'Every sheriff needs another mandate like they need a hole in their head,' he said. So far Iowa has one agency signed up for the program: the state Department of Public Safety. No other agency is listed as having active or pending 287(g) agreements. Florida has 255, more than any state. ICE did not respond to AP questions on whether an agency that declined a 287(g) agreement would be included on the administration's sanctuary list. Thompson said he doesn't know. 'What I'm trying to do is advise members,' he said. 'There are challenges, there are opportunities and there are risks.'
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Iowa sheriff who won't join immigration enforcement program heeds risk of 'sanctuary' status
An Iowa sheriff is warning that his county may be publicly shamed by the Trump administration for insufficiently backing the president's immigration agenda, though he says he is 'more than happy' to help. He said he just wants to ensure he doesn't end up with too few officers, jail beds and dollars to respond to the county's needs. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy, who serves nearly 100,000 people in the area bordering Wisconsin and Illinois, seemed to try not to alienate the federal government when he declined to participate in a program that would commit county revenue and jail space to immigration enforcement. He explained his decision before a packed county chamber this week, drawing mixed reactions. President Donald Trump directed his administration in an executive order last month to 'publish a list of States and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions).' Sanctuaries are generally understood to mean state and local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but Trump didn't elaborate on the criteria. Jonathan Thompson, executive director and chief executive officer of the National Sheriffs' Association, addressed the order in a May 2 note to his members, including Kennedy, according to documents released for the county meeting. Thompson said the list may be published before Trump's May 28 deadline and he encouraged those interested in training and empowering their officers to enforce immigration laws to 'act quickly.' The number of state and local agencies that have deputized staff to enforce federal immigration laws has soared since Trump took office to 588 in 40 states, with 83 applications pending, as of May 19. Immigration laws are federal, and enforcing them is largely a federal responsibility. Kennedy replied to an invitation from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in March, saying it wasn't 'a good fit' to enter a 287(g) agreement, which refers to the section of a 1996 law that allows for state and local police to make immigration arrests. He made clear it was about money and jail space, not politics. 'It has generally been my experience that when we partner with larger entities (Federal, state), those agencies usually 'take' more than they 'give.' Essentially, we usually end up with the short end of the stick in some way,' he wrote. Kennedy said he would be 'more than happy to assist your agents in our area' but asked ICE not to rely on his 181-bed jail because he doesn't have room. David Bindert, an official in ICE's Cedar Rapids, Iowa, office, was sympathetic in his brief response: 'No worries Sir, I completely understand, and I thank you for your time in this matter.' Some residents at a county board of supervisors meeting Monday supported Kennedy, a Democrat. Others wanted him to do more with immigration authorities. A Republican supervisor suggested a 287(g) agreement might cost the county or taxpayers but would be essential for public safety. Kennedy told residents that his office has been, and will be, a partner to ICE but that a 'binding agreement' could detract from other law enforcement work. 'When you partner with the federal government, our employees then have the potential to become their employees,' he said. An Iowa law prohibits state and local officials from adopting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Attorney General Brenna Bird recently sued the Winneshiek County sheriff over a Facebook post that she said discouraged cooperation, potentially jeopardizing state funding to the county. The Trump administration has also taken legal action against governments with policies limiting immigration arrests, suing Chicago, Denver and Rochester, New York. Thompson, who represented his association's more than 3,000 sheriffs when Trump signed the April 28 order, said the president has been clear that he'd look to 'every nook and cranny' for support in enforcing immigration laws. But Thompson said that each sheriff has to make a decision that's right for their community. Some may not have money or jail space, jeopardizing other obligations. 'Every sheriff needs another mandate like they need a hole in their head,' he said. So far Iowa has one agency signed up for the program: the state Department of Public Safety. No other agency is listed as having active or pending 287(g) agreements. Florida has 255, more than any state. ICE did not respond to AP questions on whether an agency that declined a 287(g) agreement would be included on the administration's sanctuary list. Thompson said he doesn't know. 'What I'm trying to do is advise members,' he said. 'There are challenges, there are opportunities and there are risks.'
