Federal judge orders Trump’s name be removed from Kennedy Center, blocks closure

Federal judge orders Trump’s name be removed from Kennedy Center, blocks closure
Federal judge orders Trump’s name be removed from Kennedy Center, blocks closure

(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge said Friday that President Donald Trump can’t close or rename the Kennedy Center, ruling that it cannot be officially named for anyone else unless Congress approves it.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the rebranding of the Kennedy Center as the “Trump Kennedy Center” violates the law, and ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the building within two weeks.

Cooper wrote that the administration “violated the Kennedy Center’s organic statute in purporting to rename the Center for President Trump, and in taking steps to effectuate that official renaming, such as installing signage with Donald J. Trump’s name on the front portico of the Center, altering the Center’s website to name the Center for President Trump, and in issuing official materials naming the Center for President Trump.”

Cooper also wrote “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”

Congress created the famed cultural institution in a federal statute, designating it as a living memorial in 1964 shortly after President John F. Kennedy’s death.

Trump announced in December that the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees, which the president himself now chairs and filled with his hand-picked appointees, had voted “unanimously” to rename the building. Workers added signage with his name shortly after.

Trump also announced earlier this year that the Kennedy Center would be closed for two years starting in July for major renovations.

Cooper blasted the board for making an “ill-informed” and “seemingly preordained” decision to close the center.

“Finally, the Court is preliminarily persuaded that the Board’s March 16 vote to close the Kennedy Center pending a years-long renovation represents a dereliction of its common-law- derived duty of prudence,” Cooper wrote. “The current record reveals that the Board rendered this ill-informed and seemingly preordained decision without regard for how it would accomplish its full array of statutory responsibilities. The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one.”

The changes are being challenged in court by Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who sits on the Kennedy Board of Trustees as one of its ex-officio members.
“Today’s ruling rightly affirms that this administration’s efforts to rename and close the Center have no basis in law,” Beatty said in a statement Friday. “The Kennedy Center is an institution that belongs to the American people, not to Donald Trump. He has desecrated this sacred memorial for his own vanity. I am proud to have fought for the rule of law and to protect this sacred institution.”

The Trump administration has defended the renovation as fulfilling the board’s “responsibilities to repair and improve the Center.”

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling, according to sources familiar with the matter.

ABC News has reached out to the White House for comment on the ruling.

ABC News’ Peter Charalambous and Steven Portnoy contributed to this report.

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Judge rules detained pregnant woman and son cannot spend another night at Dulles Airport

Judge rules detained pregnant woman and son cannot spend another night at Dulles Airport
Judge rules detained pregnant woman and son cannot spend another night at Dulles Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport is shown on May 22, 2026, in Dulles, Virginia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge ordered on Friday that a pregnant woman and her 4-year-old son from Ghana cannot spend another night at a Washington, D.C.-area airport where they have been detained for more than a week.

Anabella Gyasi arrived at Dulles International Airport on May 19 with a valid tourist visa to bring her son to the United States for medical treatment, and she had been detained in a holding room by Customs and Border Protection since then, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

ACLU-VA Executive Director Mary Bauer hailed the ruling, saying, “Today the court ordered in no uncertain terms that Ms. Gyasi and her son are not to spend another night in Dulles Airport.”

“Ms. Gyasi’s health and the viability of her pregnancy have both been endangered for more than a week as a result of the Trump administration’s dangerous and unlawful detention practices,” Bauer said, referring to the administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown.

“While we’re relieved that Ms. Gyasi and her son will soon be free from this nightmare, no one should be subjected to the inhumane conditions they endured,” Bauer added.

Gyasi and her son were heading back to Ghana on Friday, a person familiar with the case told ABC News. 

The ACLU filed a habeas petition for Gyasi and her son on Tuesday, alleging they are being detained “despite long-standing regulations and policies requiring that certain at-risk individuals, such as pregnant women and children, be released.” The petition also pointed to a court settlement that requires children to be transferred out of detention within 72 hours.

The 38-year-old mother first brought her son to the U.S. in 2024, when he was 2 years old, to see a specialist for physical abnormalities affecting both of his hands, according to the habeas petition. At that appointment, Gyasi was told her son was too young for corrective surgery.

Earlier this month, Gyasi scheduled a pre-operation appointment at a children’s hospital in Ohio and planned on traveling with the same tourist visa she had previously used, according to her lawyers.

A Department of Homeland Security official confirmed to ABC News on Thursday that Gyasi was in CBP custody at Dulles and said she “will remain in custody pending her immigration hearing.”

The DHS spokesperson called the allegations about the conditions of her detention as “false.” 

“Everyone in CBP custody, including this individual, has access to appropriate care, including medical evaluation by a doctor, medication, and food,” DHS said.

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‘Who’s your favorite Beatle?’ Paul McCartney goes on a ‘Chicken Shop Date’

‘Who’s your favorite Beatle?’ Paul McCartney goes on a ‘Chicken Shop Date’
‘Who’s your favorite Beatle?’ Paul McCartney goes on a ‘Chicken Shop Date’
Paul McCartney leaves ‘The Late Show’ following the taping of the final episode on May 21, 2026 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Paul McCartney has submitted himself to the experience of Chicken Shop Date, and the results are now available to watch on YouTube.

In the YouTube series, host Amelia Dimoldenberg eats fried chicken and fries while Sir Paul munches on vegan chicken nuggets and answers a variety of quirky questions. 

McCartney was asked to recall the time he set a condom on fire in Hamburg, Germany, whether he’d ever get a tattoo, and how often he thinks Amelia should go to the dentist.  She then hit him with perhaps the most outlandish question of all.

“Who’s your favorite Beatle?” Amelia asked.

After noting that there’s “only one left” besides himself, McCartney replied, “Now, currently it’s Ringo. During the Beatles, I think we all used to look up to John, ’cause he was like the leader, even though there wasn’t an officially a leader of the group.”

“He was very witty and he was great to have in the group,” he continued. “I think all of us might’ve said John was our favorite Beatle.”

McCartney also told a heartwarming story about his late wife, Linda McCartney. He said he once heard that Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis gave his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis a bracelet inscribed with “JILY,” which stood for “Jackie I Love You.” That inspired him to get Linda a bracelet that read “LILY,” for “Linda I Love You.”

“Oh, that’s gorgeous. Wow, that’s very thoughtful of you,” Amelia responded.  “She’s a lovely girl,” McCartney responded.

Among the other topics the two discussed were whether Sir Paul has ever autographed someone’s butt, the last time he did a headstand, how many guitars he owns, gardening tips and whether Amelia should start taking drugs.

“Depends,” says McCartney. “We’ll talk.”

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13-year-old, 7-year-old among 5 killed in massive crash on I-95 in Virginia: Police

13-year-old, 7-year-old among 5 killed in massive crash on I-95 in Virginia: Police
13-year-old, 7-year-old among 5 killed in massive crash on I-95 in Virginia: Police
A Virginia State Police car. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

(STAFFORD COUNTY, Va.) — Five people were killed and 44 were injured in a massive crash between a bus and multiple vehicles on Interstate 95 in Virginia early Friday morning, according to state authorities.

The accident unfolded at about 2:35 a.m. on I-95 south in Stafford County, about 45 miles south of Washington, D.C., the Virginia State Police said.

As traffic slowed for a work zone, a bus did not slow down and struck a Chevrolet Suburban, police said.

The bus then hit other cars, while the Suburban was forced into an Acura SUV and other cars, police said.

The Acura caught fire, police said. Four of the five people killed were in the Acura: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts, police said.

The fifth victim killed, a 25-year-old woman, was in the Suburban, police said.

Forty-four people were taken to hospitals, including three with critical injuries, police said.

The bus — which was en route from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina –was carrying about 34 people, police said, noting that the bus driver, Jing S. Dong, 48, suffered injuries.

Charges are pending, police said.

The crash initially closed all lanes of I-95, Virginia’s Department of Transportation said, causing massive delays for the Friday commute. All lanes have since reopened.

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1 of 4 fallen climbers rescued from Mount McKinley

1 of 4 fallen climbers rescued from Mount McKinley
1 of 4 fallen climbers rescued from Mount McKinley
A view of the highest mountain peak in North America. (Lance King/Getty Images)

(DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Ala.) — One of the four climbers who fell while ascending Mount McKinley in Alaska has been rescued from the 17,200-foot basin, according to the National Park Service.

The search for the remaining three climbers, who also fell while climbing Mount McKinley at 18,200 feet, is now a recovery mission, the NPS said.

The NPS said it does not know the status of the rescued survivor.

“Due to terrain and conditions at the site, a high-altitude helicopter was unable to land and instead conducted the evacuation using a long-line extraction. The climber was transported to the Kahiltna Base Camp and then transferred to a LifeMed air ambulance for transport to a hospital,” the NPS said Friday.

Mount McKinley — located in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve — is the tallest peak in North America, according to the NPS.

The climbers, part of a seven-member climbing team, fell in the vicinity of Denali Pass, according to the NPS. 

The NPS received a report of the incident at around midnight Thursday after two other climbers were evacuated by helicopter from the mountain at around 11 p.m. Wednesday, as part of a separate incident, the NPS said. 

Three members of the climbing team returned to High Camp at 17,000 feet after attending to their fallen partners, the NPS said. 

The NPS said it is actively responding to the incident. Weather conditions on the mountain are improving and will soon enable helicopter operations, the NPS said. 

The extent of the climbers’ injuries and their condition remains unknown, the NPS said. 

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‘Heated Rivalry,’ but make it platonic: Michael Bublé & Drew Scott team for Canadian hockey show

‘Heated Rivalry,’ but make it platonic: Michael Bublé & Drew Scott team for Canadian hockey show
‘Heated Rivalry,’ but make it platonic: Michael Bublé & Drew Scott team for Canadian hockey show
Michael Bublé greeted by fans during 2024 NHL All-Star Thursday on Feb. 1, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

It’s a show about two guys and Canadian hockey, but it’s family-friendly.

Michael Bublé and his pal Drew Scott of the show Property Brothers will be the stars of a new Prime Video series called Hometown Giants. The two stars are minority owners of the Vancouver Giants, a major junior hockey league featuring players ages 16-20, which serves as a talent pool for the NHL.

The six-episode series will follow the young players as they face “constant pressure, sacrifice and life-changing decisions.” It will debut this fall.

According to Northeast Now, the first episode finds Michael and Drew calling their pal and fellow Canadian, Ryan Reynolds, for advice about buying into the struggling Giants. Ryan went through a similar experience when he purchased a Welsh soccer team for his docuseries, Welcome to Wrexham. Michael said Ryan’s reaction was: “What are you doing, idiots? You know what you’re getting into?” 

“All Canadian celebrities, they buy a sports team, that’s just what we do,” Michael continued. “His advice was, ‘Don’t do it.’”

 

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Olivia Rodrigo Fan Day set for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Olivia Rodrigo Fan Day set for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Olivia Rodrigo Fan Day set for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Olivia Rodrigo performs at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Disney/Frank Micelotta)

Olivia Rodrigo isn’t yet in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but she has participated in a few of its induction ceremonies. Now, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has arranged an entire day just for Liv’s fans.

To celebrate the release of her new album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, on June 12, the Cleveland, Ohio, landmark is hosting Olivia Rodrigo Fan Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. Fans who visit that day will get a free button and “special gift from Olivia.”

While you’re there, you can see her looks from Saturday Night Live in 2023 and the 2022 induction ceremony honoring Carly Simon. You can also hear the new album played throughout the museum, create an Olivia playlist keychain, share your favorite lyric on the fan wall and take a photo in front of a display of her most memorable lyrics.

Plus, there’s an Olivia Rodrigo trivia contest with prizes and a nonstop loop of her speeches and performances at the Rock Hall inductions and her Saturday Night Live appearances. She most recently participated in an induction in November, where she played the White Stripes song “We’re Going to Be Friends” in honor of her musical idol, Jack White, who was being inducted that night.

Speaking of musical idols, you can learn more about the inductees who have influenced Olivia, including the White Stripes, The Cure, Carly Simon, Sheryl Crow and more, while at the museum.

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Kansas, Steve Hackett, Asia playing 2027 Cruise to the Edge concert cruise

Kansas, Steve Hackett, Asia playing 2027 Cruise to the Edge concert cruise
Kansas, Steve Hackett, Asia playing 2027 Cruise to the Edge concert cruise
Kansas performs at the Ryman Auditorium on August 19, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Kansas, former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett and Asia are among the artists performing on the 2027 Cruise to the Edge.

The prog-themed concert cruise sets sail from Miami on April 2 and will make stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Harvest Caye, Belize, before returning April 8.

“This isn’t just a cruise,” the Cruise to the Edge website reads. “It’s a Progressive Rock odyssey across sunlit seas, where legendary artists, intimate venues, and stunning concert cruise destinations collide in a festival unlike any other.”

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit CruisetotheEdge.com.

 

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Shinedown premieres video for ‘EI8HT’ song, ‘Young Again’

Shinedown premieres video for ‘EI8HT’ song, ‘Young Again’
Shinedown premieres video for ‘EI8HT’ song, ‘Young Again’
Shinedown’s Brent Smith performs on ‘American Idol.’ (Disney/Eric McCandless)

Shinedown has premiered the video for “Young Again,” a track off the band’s just-released new album, EI8HT.

The clip cuts between the band performing in a field and footage of kids running around and playing with each other, which fits with the nostalgic, Breakfast Club-referencing lyrics.

You can watch the “Young Again” video on YouTube.

EI8HT, the aptly titled eighth Shinedown album and the follow-up to 2022’s Planet Zero, dropped Friday. It also includes the singles “Dance, Kid, Dance,” “Three Six Five,” “Searchlight,” “Killing Fields” and “Safe and Sound.”

Shinedown is currently on a U.S. tour, which continues Saturday in Tampa, Florida.

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Nashville notes: The Highwomen ‘Live’ + Zach John King’s ‘Beneath the Pines’

Nashville notes: The Highwomen ‘Live’ + Zach John King’s ‘Beneath the Pines’
Nashville notes: The Highwomen ‘Live’ + Zach John King’s ‘Beneath the Pines’

“Comes with the Country” is the latest release from “Long Live Country” hitmaker Shane Profitt. He plays the Chevy Vibes Stage June 5 at CMA Fest, before joining Luke Bryan on his Word on the Street Tour June 11 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

The Highwomen’s Live at The Gorge 2023 album is out now, ahead of their performance at the venue on Sunday. Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby have also released a new live video for “Redesigning Women.”

Zach John King’s new song, “Beneath the Pines,” follows his Grand Ole Opry debut last Saturday. Six dates on his upcoming Get to Drinkin Tour have already sold out.



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