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    Trump Unloads After Supreme Court Lets Carroll Verdict Stand

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President Donald Trump blasted the Supreme Court after the justices refused to hear his appeal of the $5 million civil judgment in the E. Jean Carroll case, calling it another example of “weaponization” and vowing to keep fighting in court.

    The high court declined without comment to review Trump’s challenge to the 2023 jury verdict, leaving intact the ruling that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. The justices did not note any dissents.

    Trump wasted little time responding.

    “Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to ‘review’ a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!),” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

    “I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength.”

    The president argued the lawsuit was politically motivated, saying, “This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for, and should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be!”

    Trump also renewed his criticism of New York’s Adult Survivors Act, the temporary law that opened a one-year window for decades-old sexual assault claims. He claimed the law was “tailormade” to target him and called the outcome an “Injustice.”

    Monday’s decision effectively closes the door on Trump’s effort to overturn the original $5 million verdict, which stemmed from a civil trial in Manhattan in 2023. During that trial, jurors concluded Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the mid-1990s and for defaming her after she publicly accused him. Trump has consistently denied the allegations and has maintained that he never met Carroll.

    The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case marks another legal setback for the president in his years-long battle with Carroll, but it is not the end of the broader litigation.

    A separate case, in which a federal jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million after finding Trump repeatedly defamed her through public statements, remains on a separate appellate track. Trump’s legal team continues to challenge that judgment, arguing it should be overturned on multiple grounds.

    Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, celebrated the ruling, saying the Supreme Court’s action “affirms once and for all” the jury’s verdict and Trump’s liability in the case.

    For Trump, however, Monday’s order appears to have only intensified his determination.

    “I will continue the fight,” the president wrote, signaling that his legal battle with Carroll is far from over—even as one of the highest-profile cases against him has now reached its end.

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    Report: Charlie Kirk’s Family To Attend Tyler Robinson’s Preliminary Hearing

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    Charlie Kirk’s family is expected to attend a pivotal court hearing next week as the criminal case against the man accused of assassinating the Turning Point USA founder moves forward.

    According to Fox News, Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, plan to be present for the preliminary hearing of Tyler Robinson, who is charged with fatally shooting Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

    The hearing, scheduled for the week of July 6, will mark the first major court proceeding that Kirk’s family is expected to attend since Robinson was arrested in the days following the killing. A source familiar with the case told Fox News that the family does not plan to make any public statements.

    “The preliminary hearing is expected to be a raw, difficult moment for the family,” the source told Fox News.

    During the hearing, prosecutors will seek to establish probable cause to move the case toward trial. If the judge determines that sufficient evidence exists, Robinson will be ordered to stand trial.

    The hearing could still be delayed, however. The Utah Supreme Court is currently considering a defense appeal after Judge Tony Graf denied Robinson’s request to prohibit cameras from the courtroom. Erika Kirk, acting as a designated victims’ advocate, opposed the defense motion. According to Fox News, the state’s highest court could rule before the end of the week.

    Because the preliminary hearing will include evidence outlining the prosecution’s case, family members are expected to be confronted with graphic material. Fox News reported that prosecutors and defense attorneys have agreed to notify the family before particularly sensitive evidence is shown, allowing them the opportunity to leave the courtroom if they choose.

    Robinson, 22, has not yet entered a plea. He faces one count of aggravated murder, along with six additional charges, including weapons offenses, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty if he is convicted of the top charge.

    Unlike a trial, Utah law allows hearsay evidence during preliminary hearings. Judge Graf has also approved prosecutors’ request to present a recorded statement from Robinson’s former roommate, Twiggs, rather than requiring him to testify in person.

    According to court filings cited by Fox News, prosecutors allege Robinson confessed both in a handwritten note and in text messages exchanged with Twiggs after the shooting.

    “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it,” the alleged note states, according to court documents.

    Court filings also allege that after Twiggs texted, “You weren’t the one who did it right????,” Robinson responded, “I am, I’m sorry.”

    Investigators say they later recovered the suspected murder weapon—a Mauser rifle wrapped in a blanket—in a wooded area near the university. Prosecutors also allege text messages show Robinson and Twiggs discussed retrieving the rifle after the shooting. Twiggs has cooperated with investigators and has not been charged.

    Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA and was a father of two. He was participating in a campus question-and-answer event when he was fatally shot.

    The upcoming hearing follows another recent ruling in the case. Last week, Judge Graf determined that prosecutors had violated a previously issued gag order but rejected the defense’s request to remove the death penalty as a possible punishment, instead ordering expanded jury selection procedures should the case proceed to trial.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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    Supreme Court Deals Blow To Trump, GOP In Major Mail Ballot Ruling

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee a significant setback Monday, ruling 5-4 that states may continue counting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day as long as they were postmarked by Election Day.

    The decision preserves election laws in more than a dozen states that provide a short grace period for mailed ballots to reach election officials, rejecting Republican arguments that federal law requires all ballots to be received before polls close on Election Day.

    Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s three liberal justices.

    “The election-day statutes say nothing about ballot receipt, and we cannot add to the words Congress chose,” Barrett wrote.

    The court’s four remaining conservative justices dissented.

    The case, Watson v. Republican National Committee, centered on a Mississippi law allowing absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive within five business days. Republicans argued that the practice violated federal statutes establishing a uniform national Election Day for federal races.

    The ruling leaves intact similar laws in 14 states, including both Republican- and Democrat-led states, as well as comparable provisions for military and overseas voters in many other states. More than 750,000 ballots nationwide were counted under such grace-period laws during the 2024 election, according to court filings and reporting on the case.

    The decision represents a legal defeat for Trump, who has spent years criticizing mail voting and has repeatedly argued that elections should be decided on Election Day.

    Trump’s Justice Department backed the Republican National Committee’s challenge before the Supreme Court, continuing the administration’s broader effort to tighten election rules ahead of the 2026 midterms.

    The ruling also exposed divisions within the Republican Party.

    Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, a Republican, defended his state’s law throughout the litigation, arguing that ballots cast by Election Day should still count if postal delays prevent them from arriving immediately.

    Mississippi’s position received support from organizations including the Democratic National Committee, the NAACP and the League of Women Voters, while the RNC was backed by House Republicans’ campaign arm, Citizens United and several Republican-led states.

    The legal battle began after the Republican National Committee and the Libertarian Party of Mississippi challenged the state’s absentee ballot law. A federal district court upheld Mississippi’s policy before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Republicans, prompting Watson to appeal to the Supreme Court. Monday’s ruling reverses that appeals court decision.

    The decision arrives as Trump continues pushing for stricter election rules nationwide.

    In March, the president signed an executive order aimed at restricting mail voting and requiring additional proof of citizenship for federal elections. That order remains tied up in ongoing litigation in lower courts.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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    Trump Taps New ICE Director

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he is nominating longtime Oklahoma law enforcement officer and Marine veteran Lance Schroyer to serve as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), placing another ally with deep state and local law enforcement experience at the center of his administration’s immigration agenda.

    In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Schroyer’s nearly three decades in law enforcement and described him as a leader prepared to carry out the administration’s aggressive deportation strategy.

    “Lance has over 29 YEARS of Law Enforcement experience in Oklahoma,” Trump wrote. “He is a PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst.”

    The president also highlighted Schroyer’s background as a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine, adding that he has “firsthand experience getting Illegal Aliens OFF our streets.”

    Trump urged the Senate to act quickly on the nomination.

    “The Senate must confirm Lance Schroyer IMMEDIATELY. Do not delay,” the president wrote. “Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”

    If confirmed, Schroyer would become the first Senate-confirmed ICE director in nearly a decade. The agency has operated under a series of acting leaders since 2017, reflecting years of political battles over immigration enforcement and the role of the agency.

    Schroyer most recently worked with the Department of Homeland Security on expanding ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with the federal government on immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Schroyer comes “straight from the operational field,” where he led large-scale enforcement operations alongside state and federal agencies.

    Mullin quickly endorsed Trump’s selection.

    “President Trump made a great pick, and I’m confident Lance’s strong leadership and firsthand experience will empower the men and women of ICE to deport criminal illegal aliens, secure the homeland, and protect the American people,” Mullin wrote on X.

    “It has been 11 years since @DHSgov has had a Senate confirmed @ICEgov Director. The Senate must quickly confirm Lance Schroyer.”

    Schroyer would replace acting leadership that has overseen ICE during one of the agency’s busiest periods in recent history. David Venturella has served as acting director since Todd Lyons stepped down earlier this year.

    The nomination comes as immigration remains one of Trump’s signature issues. The administration has made mass deportations, expanded ICE partnerships with local law enforcement and increased daily immigration arrests central pillars of its second-term agenda. Trump claimed Saturday that his administration has achieved the highest daily arrest rates by ICE and Customs and Border Protection of any presidency.

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    Judge Keeps Death Penalty On Table For Charlie Kirk’s Accused Assassin

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    The man accused of assassinating conservative leader Charlie Kirk will still face the possibility of the death penalty after a Utah judge on Friday rejected a defense effort to remove capital punishment from the case.

    Fourth District Judge Tony Graf Jr. ruled that Tyler Robinson, who is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10, 2025, killing of the Turning Point USA founder, remains eligible for the death penalty if convicted — despite finding that one of the prosecutors violated a court-ordered gag rule.

    The defense had argued prosecutors should lose the ability to seek the death penalty after Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard made public comments about the strength of the state’s evidence while the case was under a pretrial publicity order.

    Graf agreed Ballard crossed the line when he publicly declared there was “ample evidence” proving Robinson’s guilt before trial. The judge held Ballard in civil contempt, saying prosecutors cannot publicly express opinions about a defendant’s guilt while a case is pending.

    But the judge stopped well short of the punishment Robinson’s attorneys wanted.

    “The court finds that striking the death penalty is grossly disproportionate to the misconduct and legally unavailable,” Graf said from the bench, instead ordering expanded jury screening to help ensure Robinson receives a fair trial. Prosecutors were also ordered to pay legal fees associated with the contempt motion.

    The courtroom battle centered on conflicting public claims about key ballistic evidence.

    Robinson’s attorneys had pointed to an ATF report showing investigators could not conclusively identify the bullet fragment recovered from Kirk’s body as having come from Robinson’s grandfather’s rifle. Prosecutors responded that the defense’s characterization omitted critical facts: while the damaged fragment could not be definitively matched, experts also could not eliminate the rifle as the source, the caliber was consistent, and a spent shell casing recovered at the scene was matched to the suspected weapon.

    Judge Graf ruled prosecutors were permitted to publicly correct what they viewed as a misleading portrayal of the forensic evidence. Their violation occurred only when Ballard went further by publicly discussing Robinson’s alleged guilt and the overall strength of the case.

    The high-profile murder case has drawn national attention since Kirk was fatally shot while addressing a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in September 2025. Prosecutors allege Robinson acted alone and have charged him with aggravated murder, firearm offenses, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

    The judge has repeatedly acknowledged the extraordinary publicity surrounding the case and has said an expanded jury pool, detailed juror questionnaires and extensive voir dire will be used to protect Robinson’s right to a fair trial rather than removing the death penalty.

    Robinson’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin in early July, where prosecutors are expected to publicly present much of their evidence for the first time as the closely watched case moves one step closer to trial.

    Stand with Rudy Giuliani. Add your name to “THE PEOPLE’S PARDON” today to drop the charges, protect his freedom, and help us reach our critical citizen goal.

    Court Filing Says Reflecting Pool Liner Was Cut With Knife or Razor — Vindicating Trump After Media Mockery

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Reflecting Pool

    President Donald Trump wasn’t imagining it after all.

    After days of media ridicule and accusations that the administration was trying to blame construction failures for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s problems, a senior National Park Service official has now sworn under oath that someone cut the pool’s liner with a “sharp knife or razor.”

    The explosive court filing appears to validate Trump’s repeated claims that the newly renovated Reflecting Pool was deliberately sabotaged by vandals—not simply falling apart because of faulty workmanship, as many critics insisted.

    According to National Park Service Deputy Director Frank Lands, the agency reported the damage to U.S. Park Police on June 9, shortly after the $16 million rehabilitation project was substantially completed.

    “The caulk over the foam sealant was cut with a sharp knife or razor,” Lands declared in the filing, adding that roughly 70 fence-post tops were also thrown into the Reflecting Pool.

    That’s a far cry from the “there’s no evidence” narrative many outlets pushed when Trump first warned that vandals had attacked the iconic landmark.

    Trump Took Heat — Now Comes the Evidence

    Earlier this week, Trump told reporters he had personally seen what he described as a massive cut through the pool’s protective surface and promised Americans the evidence would eventually emerge in court.

    It just did.

    The White House blasted what it called “Fake News hacks” and self-described experts for rushing to dismiss the president’s claims while ignoring an active federal investigation.

    According to the administration, surveillance footage captured suspects damaging the site, police documented slashes through the pool liner and protective coating, and multiple suspects have already been arrested or cited.

    The White House says:

    • Seven people have been arrested.
    • Seven others received federal citations.
    • Eighteen police reports have been filed.
    • Surveillance video allegedly captured suspects damaging the pool.

    Those figures are higher than earlier public numbers released by Park Police as the investigation has continued.

    Not All Questions Are Settled

    The new filing confirms that portions of the liner and sealant were intentionally cut—but it does not establish that those cuts caused all of the renovation’s highly publicized problems, including peeling coating or the massive algae bloom that turned the pool green just days after reopening.

    Some engineering documents previously reported by major news outlets suggested the cuts discovered in expansion joints may not fully explain the widespread coating failure, meaning investigators are still sorting out exactly what damage was caused by vandalism versus what may have resulted from construction or environmental factors.

    Still, Thursday’s filing marks the first sworn government statement confirming deliberate damage with a blade.

    A Symbolic Target

    The Reflecting Pool has become one of the Trump administration’s signature beautification projects ahead of America’s 250th birthday celebration next year.

    The renovation included draining the century-old pool, applying a new waterproof coating, repainting the basin in what Trump called an “American flag blue,” and installing advanced water-treatment systems designed to eliminate algae.

    When the project quickly ran into trouble, critics mocked it as an embarrassing failure.

    The White House argues those critics ignored what investigators were finding.

    “Crazed and deranged lunatics have once again exposed their hatred for America with a cowardly, deliberate attack on one of our nation’s most iconic landmarks,” the administration declared Thursday.

    Officials say advanced nanobubble ozone technology has already neutralized much of the algae while crews prepare permanent repairs after the Independence Day celebrations.

    Some politicians answer to consultants but Steve Hilton answers to YOU. Read his special message for your eyes only.

    One Trump Endorsement Just Ended This Governor’s Race

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    President Donald J. Trump hosts a Rose Garden Club dinner in honor of Police Week in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, May 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump’s political muscle was on full display Monday in Michigan.

    Just hours after Trump issued a full-throated endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. John James, one of James’ top primary rivals suspended his campaign and fell in line behind the president’s choice.

    “It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Congressman, John James, who is running to become the next Governor of the Beautiful State of Michigan!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “John James has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Governor of Michigan — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”

    The endorsement landed like a political thunderbolt in a Republican primary where Trump’s backing was widely viewed as the single most valuable prize.

    James quickly celebrated the endorsement, calling Trump “the greatest President of my lifetime.”

    Then came the shockwave.

    Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, who had been running against James for the GOP nomination, abruptly suspended his campaign and endorsed James.

    “This campaign has always been about the people of Michigan and standing with President Trump to defeat the Democrats in November,” Nesbitt said. “Today, I am suspending my campaign and proudly joining President Trump in endorsing John James as Michigan’s next Governor.”

    “A divided primary only helps Democrats. It’s time to unite,” he added.

    James wasted no time framing the move as proof of Trump’s influence.

    “When President Trump endorsed this campaign, Aric Nesbitt did exactly what a true Michigan CONSERVATIVE should do,” James wrote on X. “He united behind the President and our mission to Save Michigan from the Libs and the RINOs destroying our Republic!”

    The rapid surrender underscores a political reality Republicans have understood for years: in many GOP primaries, Trump’s endorsement can instantly reshape the field.

    The Michigan governor’s race had been viewed as one of the nation’s most important Republican contests heading into 2026. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, creating an open-seat battle that Republicans believe offers a major pickup opportunity.

    Trump’s endorsement carried even more weight because Michigan Republican voters have consistently indicated they place enormous value on the president’s recommendations. Prior polling found overwhelming majorities of GOP primary voters saying they would be more likely to support a Trump-endorsed candidate.

    Not everyone was impressed.

    Businessman Perry Johnson, another Republican candidate still in the race, blasted Trump’s decision.

    “President Trump received bad advice yet again,” Johnson said. “John James is a two-time statewide loser, and Michigan has already seen this movie before.”

    Johnson pointed to James’ unsuccessful U.S. Senate bids in 2018 and 2020, arguing Republicans need a different nominee to win statewide.

    Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox also declined to step aside.

    “Like @POTUS, I’ve won Michigan twice by building a coalition of working Michiganders who are sick of being screwed by the elites,” Cox wrote on X, adding that he looks forward to becoming “President Trump’s favorite Governor when I win.”

    The endorsement marks a notable shift for Trump.

    Last year, Trump publicly questioned whether James should leave Congress to run for governor, expressing concerns that Republicans could lose his competitive House seat and weaken the GOP majority in Washington.

    Those concerns appear to have been put aside.

    With Trump’s backing now secured and one major rival already gone, James enters the next phase of the race as the clear Republican frontrunner.

    And if Monday was any indication, Trump’s endorsement may have effectively ended the primary before most voters even cast a ballot.

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    JD Vance Reportedly Picks New Chief Of Staff

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    Vice President JD Vance is reportedly preparing to name longtime Trump aide Nick Luna as his next chief of staff, according to reporting from The Daily Caller citing Punchbowl News.

    Luna, who currently serves as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Implementation, is expected to replace Jacob Reses, Vance’s chief of staff since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. Punchbowl News reported that Reses plans to leave the administration by the end of summer 2026.

    The move would place one of Trump’s most trusted aides in a key position within the vice president’s office. Luna served in several roles during Trump’s first administration, including Director of Oval Office Operations from April 2020 through January 2021. He later joined Trump’s 2024 campaign effort before returning to the White House in the current administration.

    According to Punchbowl News, sources described Luna as having a “sharp political mind,” with some viewing the appointment as a potential sign that Vance is positioning himself for a future presidential bid in 2028. Vance’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to The Daily Caller.

    President Trump praised Luna when announcing his appointment as deputy chief of staff in January, calling him a “highly respected White House veteran and a Trump-Vance campaign warrior.” Trump said Luna would oversee presidential scheduling and help ensure White House messaging, outreach, and operations remained aligned with the administration’s objectives.

    Luna has long been part of Trump’s inner circle. Politico previously described him as Trump’s “body man” during the president’s first term, a role that involved managing the president’s day-to-day needs and schedule. Between Trump’s two administrations, Luna briefly served as a director of CIC Ventures, a company established in part to oversee Trump’s paid speaking engagements after leaving office.

    Luna also attracted attention during the House Select Committee’s investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. According to prior reports, he testified that he had witnessed Trump tearing up documents in the White House, though he said he could not recall specific details about their contents.

    The reported leadership change comes as several senior Vance aides have departed the administration in recent months. Earlier this year, three top Vance staffers left to join prominent Washington lobbying firms. As GAND previously reported, those departures fueled speculation that Vance was reshaping his political operation as Republicans increasingly look toward the post-Trump era.

    Reses’ departure reportedly stems from personal considerations rather than internal disagreements. NBC News reported that Vance had known for months that his chief of staff planned to leave government service. Reses recently married, and his wife is expecting the couple’s first child.

    Reaction from Republican operatives has been overwhelmingly positive. Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich congratulated Luna on social media, while Senate Leadership Fund Executive Director Alex Latcham described him as “the ultimate professional” and a “fantastic pick.”

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    Kennedy Center Creates Trump Endowment After Court Blocks Renaming Effort

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

    The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is moving forward with a new initiative honoring President Donald Trump after a federal judge blocked an effort to rename the iconic Washington, D.C., institution after him.

    According to reporting from CBS News, the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees approved the creation of a new endowment bearing Trump’s name during a board meeting Thursday. The move comes just days after a federal court ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the exterior of the building, ruling that only Congress has the authority to change the center’s official name.

    Sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that the new fund will focus on addressing the Kennedy Center’s “physical disrepair” and supporting long-term maintenance needs. The endowment would supplement existing private fundraising efforts as well as the center’s federal funding, which totals approximately $257 million.

    The development follows a months-long battle over the future of the nation’s premier performing arts venue.

    According to The Hill, Trump reshaped the Kennedy Center’s leadership after returning to office, removing existing leadership and appointing a slate of trustees who later selected him as chairman of the board. In December, the board voted to rename the institution “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” a move that immediately sparked controversy.

    Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who serves as an ex officio member of the board, filed suit challenging both the renaming effort and a planned two-year closure of the center for renovations.

    Last week, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in Beatty’s favor, determining that the Kennedy Center’s name can only be changed through congressional action because Congress originally established the institution as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Cooper also blocked the board’s plan to shut down the facility for renovations, finding that trustees exceeded their authority.

    Following the ruling, workers removed Trump’s name from the exterior of the building over the weekend. The Trump administration confirmed its compliance with the court order after receiving a brief extension due to weather concerns.

    The decision to create a Trump-branded endowment appears to provide the board with an alternative path to honor the president while avoiding direct conflict with the court’s ruling on the facility’s official name.

    The controversy underscores broader questions about the Kennedy Center’s mission and governance. Established in 1971 as a living memorial to President Kennedy, the institution has long served as America’s national cultural center. Critics of the renaming effort argued that attaching another president’s name to the landmark would undermine its original purpose, while supporters viewed the move as recognition of Trump’s influence over the institution’s future direction.

    The new endowment also arrives amid ongoing concerns about the condition of the Kennedy Center’s facilities and the role of taxpayer funding in supporting one of Washington’s most prominent cultural institutions.

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    Trump’s Grip On Georgia Faces Another Test As GOP Runoffs Reach The Finish Line

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    President Donald Trump’s political muscle is being put to the test once again in Georgia, where a pair of high-stakes Republican runoff elections on Tuesday will determine not only the GOP’s nominees, but also whether Trump’s endorsements still carry the decisive weight they’ve wielded across much of the MAGA era.

    In the state’s closely watched Senate runoff, Trump jumped into the race just 48 hours before voting ends, throwing his support behind Rep. Mike Collins over former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley.

    “Mike Collins is a true Friend, Fighter, and WARRIOR, who has been with us from the very beginning, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be your next United States Senator,” Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social.

    The endorsement escalates an already intense proxy battle between Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who backed Dooley and deployed his powerful political operation behind the former football coach.

    The race will determine which Republican takes on Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff in one of the nation’s most competitive Senate contests. With Ossoff the only Democrat senator seeking reelection in a state Trump carried in 2024, Republicans view Georgia as one of their top pickup opportunities.

    Collins, a trucking company owner and current congressman, finished first in last month’s primary with nearly 41% of the vote but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Dooley captured roughly 30% and has presented himself as a political outsider who can appeal beyond the GOP base.

    After Trump’s endorsement, Dooley responded diplomatically.

    “I have great respect for President Trump,” he wrote on X, adding that “the most important endorsement is that of the Georgia people.”

    Trump, meanwhile, contrasted the two candidates sharply.

    “I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person,” the president wrote before praising Collins as a “very successful Businessman” who is “always fighting tirelessly for our America First Agenda.”

    The clash highlights the lingering tension between Trump and Kemp, whose relationship fractured after the governor certified Georgia’s 2020 election results despite Trump’s objections.

    But the Senate race isn’t the only place Trump’s influence is being tested.

    In Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial runoff, Trump has repeatedly endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, calling him “my good friend and your next Governor.”

    Yet Jones faces a formidable challenge from billionaire businessman Rick Jackson, who has poured more than $100 million of his own fortune into the race.

    Adding another wrinkle, Trump’s son appeared to break from his father’s preferred candidate on the eve of the election.

    Donald Trump Jr. stopped short of endorsing Jackson but issued a lengthy statement praising the businessman as a “patriot” and highlighting his investments in domestic manufacturing and energy infrastructure.

    “Regardless of what happens in the Georgia Governor’s race tomorrow, we should celebrate the patriots building up MAGA and an America First economy like Rick Jackson has,” Trump Jr. wrote.

    He later clarified: “This is not an endorsement of Rick and I think Burt Jones is a great guy too. My only point is that no matter who wins tomorrow, it’s a victory for MAGA.”

    Jones has also received backing from Kemp, who argued Monday that Republicans must nominate candidates capable of winning in November.

    “My mission is to make sure that we have the best folks at the top of the ticket that can win in November,” Kemp said. “That’s why I’m supporting Burt Jones for governor.”

    Meanwhile, Jackson has assembled his own coalition of national conservatives. Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed him Friday and campaigned with him ahead of the runoff.

    “Rick has an extraordinary record, an extraordinary life story,” Cruz told Fox News. “I also think he’s positioned to win. The stakes are too high. We can’t afford to lose Georgia.”

    Cruz rejected suggestions that his support for Jackson represented a break with the president.

    “The president and I agree on the vast majority of races,” Cruz said. “What I try to do in every race is endorse the strongest conservative who can win.”

    The twin runoffs have become a measuring stick for the competing forces shaping the modern Republican Party: Trump’s personal endorsement power, Kemp’s entrenched state-level machine, and the growing influence of self-funded outsiders willing to spend enormous sums to bypass traditional political structures.

    Powerless families don’t stand a chance against government corruption without supporters like you. Read her story today — then join the fight and protect this mother.
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