The Kennedy Board of Trustees has voted to rename the Kennedy Center the "Trump-Kennedy Center," according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. President Trump earlier this year fired members of the board and named himself chairman.

Democrat James Walkinshaw handily defeats Republican Stuart Whitson in Virginia's 11th District congressional race. The special election was to fill the seat of the late Rep. Gerry Connolly. Walkinshaw on track to win by 75-25 percent margin. That's a larger margin than Connolly's win in 2024.

Six Republican-led states are now sending in the National Guard to back President Trump’s federal crime crackdown in DC. Latest states: Louisiana and Tennessee. They join Mississippi, WV, SC and Ohio. In addition to 800 DC National Guard, total number will soon approach 2,000.

UVA President James Ryan is resigning, under pressure from the Trump administration linked to DEI policies and a Justice Department investigation. VA Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine say the administration's interference is "outrageous" and "hurts Virginia's future."

CA Rep. Robert Garcia elected as ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. The position opened up during the illness of Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, who died last month after a battle with cancer. Among those who Garcia, 47, defeated was MD Rep. Kweisi Mfume, 76.

MD Rep. Andy Harris, chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus said today he'd be open to raising taxes on the wealthy. Tells Fox Business the higher bracket (a return to close to 40%) could be set for those earning $2 million or more to help offset other tax reductions.

House Transportation Committee drops GOP proposal for $20 fee on all U.S. vehicles. Rep. Sam Graves, the panel's chair, says it became a "political distraction."
Still in place: a fee increase to $250 for EVs and a $100 fee for hybrid vehicles.

Former NY congressman George Santos has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison -- 87 months -- for defrauding donors and constituents. The former GOP lawmaker was expelled from Congress after an ethics probe. Only a handful of former lawmakers have received longer prison sentences.

Pentagon acting inspector general says he will review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of Signal messaging app to discuss plans for military strike against Houthi rebels.

Longtime sportswriter John Feinstein has died, according to the Washington Post. He was 69. Feinstein was a legendary chronicler of sports, athletes and coaches. He often joined anchors on WTOP to provide his wit and wisdom related to the world of athletics.

NEW: House votes to censure Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green for disrupting President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress. Vote: 224-198. Ten Democrats voted with Republicans to censure Green.

Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-TX) has died. Before getting elected to Congress he had been the mayor of Houston and a longtime Texas state lawmaker. He was 70. In his final social media post yesterday he said, “Please let people know, don’t mess with Medicaid.”

President Trump post on Truth Social as federal workers navigate conflicting direction from various agencies about whether to respond to Elon Musk’s request to provide 5 bullet points by midnight about what they did at work last week. Musk says no response = resignation.

NEW: KY Sen. Mitch McConnell won't run for reelection next year. McConnell is 83 and is the longest-serving GOP Senate leader in U.S. history. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984. While he once wielded immense power in the GOP he has been sidelined by President Trump.

President Trump calls Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" who wants to keep the "gravy train" going. The rapidly deteriorating relations between the two leaders follows statement from Zelenskyy that Trump is living in a "disinformation space" created by Russia.

Senate confirms Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Vote: 52-48. Sen. Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote no. Kennedy, a former Democrat before supporting President Trump, was opposed by all Senate Democrats.

Ken Sicknick, brother of late Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, says President Trump’s pardon of Jan. 6 defendants tells people they can get away w/ crime by wearing a MAGA hat. Democrats have proposed resolution condemning the pardons. Brian Sicknick died on Jan. 7, 2021.

Senate confirms Pam Bondi as Attorney General. Vote was 54-46. PA Sen. John Fetterman joined Republicans in voting for her.

Senate Intelligence Committee votes 9-8 to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as Director of National Intelligence. She at one point faced the most difficult road to confirmation. She’s now likely to be confirmed by the full Senate.