President Donald Trump posted new renderings of the ballroom that is currently under construction, Feb. 10, 2026. (The White House)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday posted new renderings of his “Great Ballroom” and said it “will also be used for future Presidential Inaugurations.”
“Two views of the Great Ballroom being built on the site of our wonderful White House — It is on budget, and ahead of schedule!” Trump said of the construction on the former site of the demolished East Wing.
In the social media post, Trump claimed that the new ballroom “will also be used for future Presidential Inaugurations,” because of the ballroom’s expected “unprecedented structural, safety, and security features.”
According to the Library of Congress, the Constitution lays out the language of the inaugural oath but does not dictate where the ceremony must take place.
The Library of Congress adds that in the 21st century, “inaugurations usually take place on the west front of the U.S. Capitol,” but adds that “there have been many other inauguration sites in the nation’s history.”
Trump initially said in July that the $300 million ballroom project would not interfere with the existing White House structure. Later, when crews began tearing down the East Wing, an official said the “entirety of the East Wing will be modernized” as the massive 90,000 square foot ballroom is built.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to stop the project.
In January, a federal judge presiding over the challenge signaled doubts about the Trump administration’s argument that the president has the legal authority to undertake the renovations and to fund them with private donations.
That judge said the decision on whether to block Trump’s renovation plans will “hopefully” come this month.
ABC News’ Steven Portnoy and Nathan Lee contributed to this report.
Stephen King and Mike Flanagan attends the premiere of ‘The Life of Chuck’ during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 6, 2024, in Toronto, Ontario. (Mathew Tsang/Getty Images)
Mike Flanagan is taking on The Mist.
The filmmaker is set to write and direct a new film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1980 novella, ABC Audio has confirmed.
Warner Bros. Pictures will develop the project that Flanagan will produce through Red Room alongside Tyler Thompson. Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Chris Stone will also produce, while Alexandra Magistro is set to executive produce for Red Room.
The Mist, of course, tells the story of a small town in Maine that is taken over by a mysterious, thick fog. Creatures emerge from the fog and attack the community, causing a group of survivors to take cover in the town’s local grocery store.
The novella was originally part of King’s Skeleton Crew short story collection. It was previously adapted into a 2007 film, as well as a 2017 TV series.
Flanagan has previously directed other film adaptations of King’s works, including Gerald’s Game, Life of Chuck and Doctor Sleep, which is a sequel to The Shining. He is also attached to a new miniseries adaptation of King’s novel Carrie for Prime Video.
After teasing some big names who’d be joining him for his upcoming album, Whatever’s Clever!, Charlie Puth has released the full track list for the project — and it turns out he’s got even more guests than previously announced.
Whatever’s Clever includes a collaboration with Wicked star Jeff Goldblum called “Until It Happens to You.” There’s also a duet on the song “Sideways” with singer and actress Coco Jones, who, like Charlie, was a performer during the Super Bowl pregame show on Sunday.
In addition, Charlie has a duet with “Love Me Not” singer Ravyn Lenae called “New Jersey,” which is Charlie’s home state; and a collaboration called “Home” that features Hikaru Utada, one of Japan’s bestselling artists.
All those artists are in addition to the guests Charlie has already revealed: Kenny G, who played with Charlie during his national anthem performance at the Super Bowl; and Yacht Rock icons Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald on a song called “Love In Exile.”
The album also includes the single “Changes.” It’s due March 27.
Here’s the full track list: “Changes” “Beat Yourself Up” “Cry” (feat. Kenny G) “Washed Up” “New Jersey” (feat. Ravyn Lenae) “Don’t Meet Your Heroes” “Home” (feat. Hikaru Utada) “Hey Brother” “Sideways” (feat. Coco Jones) “Love In Exile” (feat. Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins) “Until It Happens To You” (feat. Jeff Goldblum) “I Used To Be Cringe”
Eric Church’s ‘Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)’ (MCA)
Eric Church’s Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive arrives in IMAX theaters Wednesday, returning on Saturday as well.
On Tuesday the Chief started the day discussing his concert film on CBS Mornings.
“It was unnerving,” he said of seeing it for the first time. “We went to a screening in L.A. and from my perspective, every night, I see my microphone and I see the people. I never see this behind me. And in IMAX, you’re 12 feet tall, which I didn’t mind. But it was unnerving … and also enlightening to see it all happen. The stuff that I never get to see, I got to watch it on the IMAX thing.”
“And the thing about the IMAX is it freezes a moment in time,” he continued. “And I’m gonna get older, those fans are gonna get older, but we froze that moment in time forever musically.”
You can watch Eric’s complete CBS Mornings interview on YouTube.
The 19-track live album that accompanies Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive also drops on Friday.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer Stewart Copeland (Photo credit: Harrison Parrott)
The Police drummer Stewart Copeland has announced dates for a 2026 tour.
Have I Said Too Much – The Police, Hollywood, and Other Adventures will be Copeland’s first spoken word North American tour and will have him visiting 34 cities. The show is described as an evening of conversation with Copeland. It will include photos and videos, along with a Q&A.
The trek kicks off June 3 in Orlando, Florida, hitting such cities as Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and Nashville before wrapping Aug. 7 in Hopewell, Virginia.
An artist presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
Next up for Copeland, he’ll be taking part in Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp’s Masters of Rock: Volume II in Los Angeles Feb. 19-22. More info can be found at RockCamp.com.
In this June 2, 2019, file photo, a sign marking the spot of the Stonewall National monument is shown in Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York. (Epics via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — The National Parks Service (NPS) removed the rainbow flag that sat on a flagpole inside the Stonewall National Monument near Christopher Park in New York City’s Greenwich Village.
The site was designated a national monument by President Barack Obama in June, 2016, becoming the first federal monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights.
The communications office for NPS, which is overseen by the Department of the Interior, confirmed the removal of the rainbow flag in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday morning. It said that, under federal guidance, “only the U.S. flag and other congressionally or departmentally authorized flags are flown on NPS-managed flagpoles, with limited exceptions.”
“Any changes to flag displays are made to ensure consistency with that guidance. Stonewall National Monument continues to preserve and interpret the site’s historic significance through exhibits and programs,” the statement continued.
The office of Interior Sec. Doug Burgum reiterated the sentiment in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday, saying that federal policy governing flag displays “has been in place for decades,” and “recent guidance clarifies how that longstanding policy is applied consistently across NPS-managed sites.”
The pride flag inside the monument was permanently installed by NPS in 2021, and was the first pride flag to be flown over federally-funded land.
Steven Love Menendez, a New York-based advocate for LGBTQ+ rights who launched the movement for the permanent pride flag to be installed at the site in 2017, questioned the timing of its removal.
“It’s a targeted attack on the community, right? Because the flag was there. It’s not that they never gave permission for it to be erected. They did give permission for it to be erected, and now they’re using some legal language to try to make an excuse for taking it down,” Menendez said. “Why now? That’s the question the administration needs to answer. Why now? It was already up, and my response is, it’s solely based on hate.”
The Stonewall National Monument is located near the Stonewall Inn, a historic gay bar in the neighborhood that was a safe haven for many in the LGBTQ+ community in the 1960s. The bar was raided by the NYPD in 1969, leading to riots that became known as the Stonewall Uprising, which is credited with kickstarting the modern LGBTQ+ movement. The NYPD publicly apologized for the raid in 2019.
“Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one,” Obama said in 2016.
Menendez said that, during Pride Month in 2017, he got a permit from NPS to install a pride flag inside the monument and his request was granted. Once the month was over, he noted that the flag was taken down. Menendez said he was “very passionate” about people being able to see the pride flag when they visited the monument, so he petitioned NPS in 2017 for the installation of a permanent flag.
According to ABC station in New York City, WABC, NPS was expected to participate in a dedication ceremony for a permanent rainbow flag inside the monument on National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, 2017. But amid opposition from the Trump administration, NPS withdrew from the ceremony — a move that drew widespread criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, WABC reported.
At the dedication ceremony, the city of New York flew their own rainbow flag on city land outside the Stonewall National Monument and it wasn’t until 2021 when the Biden administration approved the permanent installation of a pride flag inside the monument on federal land. The city flag has remained in place, but the flag on federal land was removed by NPS this week.
“For me, [the rainbow flag] is a sense of pride and joy and celebration and victory for our community. … This flag represents our victory and our triumphs,” Menendez, who attended the 2017 ceremony, told ABC News on Tuesday. “[Removing] it feels like a slap in the face to the community, you know, a punch in the gut. They’re taking away our symbol of pride.”
The removal of the flag comes after President Donald Trump directed Sec. Burgum in a March 2025 executive order to remove “divisive” and “anti-American” content from museums and national parks.
Asked if the removal of the pride flag was in response to Trump’s order, NPS did not comment.
In this June 2, 2019, file photo, a sign marking the spot of the Stonewall National monument is shown in Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York. (Epics via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — The National Parks Service (NPS) removed the rainbow flag that sat on a flagpole inside the Stonewall National Monument near Christopher Park in New York City’s Greenwich Village.
The site was designated a national monument by President Barack Obama in June, 2016, becoming the first federal monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights.
The communications office for NPS, which is overseen by the Department of the Interior, confirmed the removal of the rainbow flag in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday morning. It said that, under federal guidance, “only the U.S. flag and other congressionally or departmentally authorized flags are flown on NPS-managed flagpoles, with limited exceptions.”
“Any changes to flag displays are made to ensure consistency with that guidance. Stonewall National Monument continues to preserve and interpret the site’s historic significance through exhibits and programs,” the statement continued.
The office of Interior Sec. Doug Burgum reiterated the sentiment in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday, saying that federal policy governing flag displays “has been in place for decades,” and “recent guidance clarifies how that longstanding policy is applied consistently across NPS-managed sites.”
The pride flag inside the monument was permanently installed by NPS in 2021, and was the first pride flag to be flown over federally-funded land.
Steven Love Menendez, a New York-based advocate for LGBTQ+ rights who launched the movement for the permanent pride flag to be installed at the site in 2017, questioned the timing of its removal.
“It’s a targeted attack on the community, right? Because the flag was there. It’s not that they never gave permission for it to be erected. They did give permission for it to be erected, and now they’re using some legal language to try to make an excuse for taking it down,” Menendez said. “Why now? That’s the question the administration needs to answer. Why now? It was already up, and my response is, it’s solely based on hate.”
The Stonewall National Monument is located near the Stonewall Inn, a historic gay bar in the neighborhood that was a safe haven for many in the LGBTQ+ community in the 1960s. The bar was raided by the NYPD in 1969, leading to riots that became known as the Stonewall Uprising, which is credited with kickstarting the modern LGBTQ+ movement. The NYPD publicly apologized for the raid in 2019.
“Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one,” Obama said in 2016.
Menendez said that, during Pride Month in 2017, he got a permit from NPS to install a pride flag inside the monument and his request was granted. Once the month was over, he noted that the flag was taken down. Menendez said he was “very passionate” about people being able to see the pride flag when they visited the monument, so he petitioned NPS in 2017 for the installation of a permanent flag.
According to ABC station in New York City, WABC, NPS was expected to participate in a dedication ceremony for a permanent rainbow flag inside the monument on National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, 2017. But amid opposition from the Trump administration, NPS withdrew from the ceremony — a move that drew widespread criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, WABC reported.
At the dedication ceremony, the city of New York flew their own rainbow flag on city land outside the Stonewall National Monument and it wasn’t until 2021 when the Biden administration approved the permanent installation of a pride flag inside the monument on federal land. The city flag has remained in place, but the flag on federal land was removed by NPS this week.
“For me, [the rainbow flag] is a sense of pride and joy and celebration and victory for our community. … This flag represents our victory and our triumphs,” Menendez, who attended the 2017 ceremony, told ABC News on Tuesday. “[Removing] it feels like a slap in the face to the community, you know, a punch in the gut. They’re taking away our symbol of pride.”
The removal of the flag comes after President Donald Trump directed Sec. Burgum in a March 2025 executive order to remove “divisive” and “anti-American” content from museums and national parks.
Asked if the removal of the pride flag was in response to Trump’s order, NPS did not comment.
Rachel Weisz and Brendan Fraser in the 1999 film ‘The Mummy’ from Universal Pictures. (Getty Images)
Time to unwrap a brand-new film in The Mummy franchise.
Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are set to return for a fourth installment in The Mummy film series. Universal Pictures will release the film in theaters on May 19, 2028.
The studio confirmed the news by sharing a Deadline article on the topic to its Instagram Story on Tuesday. It also posted a photo collage of images of Fraser and Weisz from the original 1999 film.
“Mummy and Daddy are so back,” Universal Pictures captioned the post.
ABC Audio has reached out to Universal Pictures for further comment.
Fraser and Weisz are set to reprise their roles as Rick O’Connell and Evelyn O’Connell in the new film, which will be directed by Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. They helm from a screenplay written by David Coggeshall. Its story is being kept under wraps for the time being.
Fraser starred in all three of the franchise’s films — 1999’s The Mummy, 2001’s The Mummy Returns and the 2008 film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, while Weisz only appeared in the first two. In addition to starring, Fraser will executive produce this fourth installment.
Producer Sean Daniel also returns for this new film. He has produced each installment in the franchise so far, including the three previously mentioned films, the 2002 prequel spinoff The Scorpion King and the 2017 Tom Cruise-starring reboot of The Mummy.
Charles Kelley’s ‘Songs for a New Moon’ (Southern Accent Entertainment)
Charles Kelley’s been teasing that he’s adding a duet partner to one of the tracks from his Songs for a New Moon album, offering snippets to see if fans can sniff out his guest vocalist.
On Monday he confirmed they’ve succeeded, writing, “Y’all guessed it- ‘Can’t Be Alone Tonight’ featuring [Maren Morris] will be out this Friday!” on Instagram. Charles also shared a video of the two together, listening to the playback of the track.
Songs for a New Moon came out in June and featured “Can’t Lose You,” which was a hit on the adult contemporary charts.
Feb. 5 marked the 10th anniversary of the Lady A vocalist’s first solo project, The Driver.
Charles is set to play his first solo show in London at The Tabernacle on March 5.
