News
‘Downright Weird’: Kennedys Blast New Trump-Kennedy Center Name
After the White House announced that the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — the official, “living memorial” to the late president — voted to rename the iconic cultural institution the Trump-Kennedy Center, several members of the Kennedy family took the opportunity to denounce the move.
Earlier this year, just weeks after he was sworn into office, President Donald Trump removed members of the board of the Kennedy Center and replaced them with allies and administration officials, including Richard Grenell, Pam Bondi, and Susie Wiles. The new board then voted Trump to become chairman of the Kennedy Center.
Now, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, there will be a new name as well. Legal scholars note that because the Kennedy Center was named by federal statute, any formal name change would require an act of Congress.
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Maria Shriver, the former First Lady of California, wrote: “The Kennedy Center was named after my uncle, President John F Kennedy.”
She called the renaming “beyond comprehension,” “beyond wild,” “downright weird,” and “obsessive in a weird way,” while explaining that the Kennedy Center was named in honor of a man who was interested in the arts, culture, education, language, and history.
“Next thing perhaps he will want to rename JFK Airport, rename the Lincoln Memorial, the Trump Lincoln Memorial. The Trump Jefferson Memorial. The Trump Smithsonian. The list goes on.”
“Can we not see what is happening here? C’mon, my fellow Americans! Wake up! This is not dignified. This is not funny,” she said. “Just when you think [someone] can’t stoop any lower, down they go…”
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy and the niece of the late president, John F. Kennedy, issued a statement denouncing the development.
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“President Trump and his administration have spent the past year repressing free expression, targeting artists, journalists, and comedians, and erasing the history of Americans whose contributions made our nation better and more just,” she argued. “President Kennedy proudly stood for justice, peace, equality, dignity, diversity, and compassion for those who suffer. President Trump stands in opposition to these values, and his name should not be placed alongside President Kennedy’s.”
Tim Shriver, son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, said the board appeared to misunderstand the significance of the institution.
“Perhaps the board isn’t aware that the Kennedy Center is THE memorial to the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy,” he remarked.
Shriver called the move “an insult to a great president” and “short-sighted,” adding that regardless of the board’s action, the institution “is and will remain the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.”
Joe Kennedy III, the former U.S. Congressman, added, “The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says.”
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Image via Reuters
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President Donald Trump is facing criticism and mockery after admitting he was “shocked” that Iran fought back against Operation Epic Fury.
“Trump just admitted publicly that his administration underestimated the Iranian response to his attack,” The Washington Post’s Josh Rogin reported.
During a meeting of the board governing the Kennedy Center, Trump said, “look what happened. In the last two weeks, they weren’t supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East. Those missiles were set to go after them. So they hit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait. Nobody expected that. We were shocked.”
Focusing on Trump’s “shocked” remark, some critics blasted the president, once again, for what many have previously said is a Commander-in-Chief who was unprepared to go to war against Iran.
The New Yorker’s Susan Glasser called Trump’s comments a “Remarkable admission.”
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Former Republican U.S. Rep. Justin Amash declared, “We are governed by complete morons.”
Podcaster Clint Russell noted, “Just FYI, this is the EXACT reason our generals have consistently advised against a war with Iran. Even Charlie Kirk had laid this all out on his show a couple years ago. Iran was no threat to America but they were fully capable of destroying the global economy by striking oil facilities and transit throughout the region.”
Robert Manning, a Distinguished Fellow in Global Foresight at the nonpartisan Stimson Center, wrote: “If so, he was the only one surprised. Strategic planners have war games this for 40 years. Hard to believe JCS [Joint Chiefs of Staff] didn’t advise Trump this was likely.”
“I’m pretty confident every war plan US has ever done in last 30 years gaming out this conflict was based on expectation that Iran could in fact [and] would in fact do this,” noted The Nation’s Jeet Heer.
“Every institution built to prevent exactly this outcome existed, was bypassed, and we are now watching the president express shock at conclusions that were already written in the classified assessments he didn’t read,” observed Christine Villaverde, the chairwoman of Anchoring Democracy.
Trump: They weren’t supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East. So they hit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait. Nobody expected that. We were shocked pic.twitter.com/4bAHIat1kI
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026
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Image via Reuters
A prominent Republican senator is denouncing his own party while lamenting the lack of an official presidential endorsement in the highly contentious Texas Republican Senate runoff election.
Agreeing that it is a mistake for President Donald Trump to withhold his endorsement of either Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton or U.S. Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) warned, “I think the more time we spend millions of dollars with Republican-on-Republican violence, Democrats are in the marketing department, loving the idea of a competitive runoff.”
“I get tired of Republicans being lazy and unstrategic,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju, appearing to suggest there are other ways for one of the candidates to pull ahead.
“People on my side of the aisle, and people at the far right of the political spectrum, are trying to swing for the fences, and they’re not gonna succeed,” he warned.
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A runoff election between Cornyn and Paxton will take place on May 26, and the president has yet to endorse either contender.
Reports suggest a Cornyn endorsement is more likely, although Paxton has been a reliable MAGA supporter. Trump has even suggested that whichever candidate does not get his backing should quit the race entirely, clearing the way for the presumptive nominee to battle the Democratic nominee, James Talarico.
“The Republican Primary Race for the United States Senate in the Great State of Texas,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, on March 4, “cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW! We have an easy to beat, Radical Left Opponent, and we have to TOTALLY FOCUS on putting him away, quickly and decisively!”
He vowed to make his endorsement “soon,” but has yet to do so.
Each passing day gives Talarico more time to campaign and build his war chest as the two GOP contenders spend their time and money battling each other.
Thom Tillis says it’s mistake for Trump to withold endorsement in #txsen over Save Act, rails on intraparty feud
“The more time we spend millions of dollars with Republican on Republican violence, Democrats” will benefit.
“I get tired of Republicans being lazy and unstrategic.” pic.twitter.com/KpH7LYoqNE
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 16, 2026
READ MORE: Gas Prices Near $4 in These Five States
Image via Reuters
Gas prices are continuing to substantially increase, with five states now hovering near $4 a gallon and several others seeing sharp increases as President Donald Trump’s war in Iran enters its 17th day.
“Big gas price hikes just now starting to happen in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri today, which will likely push the national average to $3.75-$3.80 by mid-week,” reports Patrick De Haan, the head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy.
But, he also notes that Michigan and the Chicago area are already seeing $3.99 per gallon as of Monday. Indiana drivers are seeing $3.89, and Ohio and Kentucky are seeing $3.79 per gallon.
De Haan directly attributes the increases to the summer gasoline changeover and the ongoing Iran situation.
“The national average is up 80.0 cents from a month ago and is 66.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago,” WANE reports, citing GasBuddy’s data.
Drivers should not expect to see prices come down significantly anytime soon.
“Until we see a meaningful resumption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, upward pressure on fuel prices is likely to persist,” De Haan said. “At the same time, seasonal forces are beginning to intensify as several regions complete the transition to summer gasoline, creating a double headwind that could continue driving pump prices higher in the weeks ahead.”
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Kristi Noem at Center of Push for DOJ Perjury Probe: Report
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Gas Prices Near $4 in These Five States
‘Lazy and Unstrategic’: GOP Senator Slams ‘Republican on Republican Violence’
‘He Was the Only One’: Trump Mocked for Declaring Iran’s Moves ‘Shocked’ Him
‘He Was the Only One’: Trump Mocked for Declaring Iran’s Moves ‘Shocked’ Him
‘Lazy and Unstrategic’: GOP Senator Slams ‘Republican on Republican Violence’
Gas Prices Near $4 in These Five States
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