The White House has officially sent Congress a request to eliminate $9.4 billion in current funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, marking a significant test of Republican for the istration’s agency funding cuts. The request includes $8.3 billion in foreign aid cuts and $1.1 billion from public broadcasting, affecting National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. 134a3a

According to Politico, the rescissions memo, delivered Tuesday to Capitol Hill, also targets funding across multiple State Department s, including UN peacekeeping contributions, $900 million in global health programs, and $800 million for migration and refugee assistance. Congress now has 45 days to either approve or reject the istration’s recommendation.

White House budget director Russ Vought has escalated the istration’s stance on funding cuts, stating that “we intend to use all of these tools.” He suggested that the istration might not need congressional approval to block certain funding, citing executive tools and historical presidential abilities to spend below the ceiling.

White House signals potential use of pocket rescission tactic 3r2w4b

The Trump istration has indicated it might employ a controversial “pocket rescission” strategy to make DOGE cuts permanent, regardless of congressional approval. This approach would involve sending additional rescission requests near the fiscal year’s end and potentially withholding funds until they expire on September 30.

The move has sparked concern among lawmakers, particularly Democrats. Senate’s top Democratic appropriator, Patty Murray, pointed out that Trump’s rescission request actually acknowledges Congress’s constitutional authority over funding decisions, making the istration’s subsequent threats particularly noteworthy.

While Speaker Mike Johnson has committed to swift action on the package in the House, the request faces uncertainty in the Senate. Despite requiring only a simple majority, similar attempts have failed before, as evidenced by the defeat of Trump’s $15 billion rescission request in 2018.

Republican reactions have been mixed, with some senators like John Cornyn ing more frequent rescission requests, while others express concerns about specific cuts. Senator Mike Rounds has raised questions about the impact on public broadcasting, particularly regarding native American tribes and rural areas that depend on public radio stations and emergency broadcasting systems.

Republican allies close to the White House are expressing frustration with Elon Musk’s opposition to their legislative priority, claiming the tech billionaire’s stance is driven by his business interests. The criticism comes after Musk spent Tuesday afternoon attacking the spending bill and threatening retaliation against its ers.

According to Politico, the House-ed megabill, which represents the president’s primary legislative priority in Congress, has exposed ongoing divisions within the coalition that helped Trump secure the White House. The disagreement highlights tensions between the MAGA and Tech Right factions, with some potentially facing pressure from Musk if they the bill.

“The West Wing is perplexed, unenthused, and disappointed” with Musk, according to a White House official speaking anonymously about the former special government employee who had invested heavily in their istration. Musk had recently left his White House position to focus on his struggling business empire.

Tesla stands to lose billions in tax credits if the megabill es 2n2x40

The legislation would eliminate several tax credits that currently benefit Tesla, including a $7,500 federal tax credit for new electric vehicles, a $4,000 credit for used EVs, and a $1,000 credit for Level 2 charger installation. Additionally, the bill would implement a $250 yearly federal registration fee exclusively for EV owners.

Tesla’s financial stability could be significantly impacted if the bill es in its current form. The company’s $11.4 billion in regulatory credits, which contributed to its profitability in the first quarter of this year, would expire at the end of 2025.

White House allies are urging journalists to scrutinize Musk and Tesla’s claims about the megabill more carefully. A Republican close to the White House emphasized that when businessmen criticize legislation, their business interests should be examined rather than taking their statements at face value.

The tension between Musk and the White House was further complicated by his recent unsuccessful attempt to convince Republicans to maintain the electric vehicle tax credit in the megabill. Additionally, the istration had rejected his proposal to integrate his Starlink satellites into the nation’s air traffic control system. The situation was exacerbated by Musk’s reluctance to leave his position as a special government employee despite reaching his 130-day limit, though his eventual departure was viewed by many Trump advisers as inevitable.

The Trump istration is intensifying its campaign against Harvard University, with the White House gathering officials from nearly a dozen agencies to discuss additional punitive measures against the prestigious institution.

According to Politico, the Wednesday meeting, which included representatives from multiple federal departments, aimed to develop new strategies against Harvard following a recent setback where a federal judge blocked the istration’s attempt to bar international students from enrollment.

One istration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the challenging nature of their position, stating, “We’re fighting a losing battle.” The official further itted that their actions have inadvertently cast Harvard in a sympathetic light, noting, “We’ve taken one of the most evil institutions and made them the victim.”

White House plans new measures across multiple departments 2u1e2p

The istration is now exploring creative ways to maintain pressure on the university, with expected actions coming from the State, Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Justice departments as early as next month. Potential measures include expanding the Department of Justice’s investigation into Harvard’s issions policies and reducing funding to Harvard-d medical institutions.

The conflict, which has been brewing since February, escalated significantly after an April 11 letter containing various demands was mistakenly sent to Harvard when a potential deal was still possible. Following this communication breakdown, the istration implemented several punitive measures, including freezing $2.2 billion in multiyear research grants, cutting $60 million in contracts, and barring Harvard from future grants.

President Trump has remained vocal in his criticism of the university, recently threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status. During an unrelated press conference on Wednesday, Trump stated that “Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect and all they’re doing is getting in deeper and deeper and deeper.”

The university has responded by taking legal action, successfully obtaining a federal judge’s block on the istration’s attempt to bar international students. This block will remain in effect while both parties negotiate over a potential injunction to maintain the status quo during legal proceedings. Harvard University has declined to comment on these developments.

Former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s decided to use a modified version of the Signal messaging app during a White House cabinet meeting. This incident happened just before he was removed from his position.

As reported by The Guardian and ABC, Photos from the meeting showed Waltz using TM SGNL, a customized version of Signal developed by TeleMessage, which includes features for saving and storing messages. The next day, President Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would replace Waltz.

The pictures revealed Waltz messaging several top officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Steve Witkoff, the President’s Middle East envoy. Parts of the messages were visible. One message to Rubio said “there is time,” while a message from Vance mentioned he had “confirmation from my counterpart it’s turned off.” Another message referenced an 8 AM meeting scheduled for “PDB,” likely meaning the President’s Daily Brief.

Mike Waltz seemed to not have learned his lesson 58699

The fact that Waltz used TM SGNL instead of the regular Signal app is a major issue. While the White House claims Signal is “approved for government use and is installed on government phones,” the modified version raises serious security questions. The added feature for storing messages meant to follow presidential record-keeping laws could weaken Signal’s end-to-end encryption, making conversations less secure.

This is not the first time Waltz has been involved in a messaging controversy. In March 2025, he accidentally added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat with other national security officials, where they discussed a U.S. strike on terrorists in Yemen. Although Waltz insisted no classified information was shared and Trump ed him, the incident brought more attention to how he handled sensitive material. The Pentagon’s internal watchdog had previously criticized another official’s use of Signal in 2021 for breaking record-keeping rules.

Currently, Acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense, Steven Stebbins, is investigating Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal related to the Yemen attack, including a separate chat where Hegseth shared attack details with family and his lawyer.

The White House’s claim that Signal is approved conflicts with earlier Pentagon concerns, showing confusion over which communication tools are allowed for sensitive government discussions. The issue is made worse by Republican leaders in Congress stopping Democratic attempts to investigate the Signal chat about the Yemen attack.

In April 2025, the Trump istration made it harder for major news organizations to attend White House events by removing a special press that had always been reserved for big wire services. This is the latest step in a growing conflict between the istration and the media. The change means that the Associated Press (AP), Bloomberg News, and Reuters will no longer have guaranteed daily access.

AP, Bloomberg, and Reuters are three news agencies that have had permanent spots in the White House press pool for years. Per Reuters, the White House press pool is a small group of about ten news outlets that get special access to events with the President, like meetings in the Oval Office or trips he takes. These reporters share information with other journalists and the public.

By removing the reserved spot for wire services, the AP, Bloomberg, and Reuters will now have to compete with many other news outlets for a place in the rotating pool. The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the change was needed to ensure the President’s message reaches the right people and reporters with expertise on specific topics can attend events. Now, the press secretary will decide each day which outlets get to be in the pool.

Trump to decide what news outlets get access to him 55a49

This decision will have a big effect on how White House news is shared. Wire services like the AP, Bloomberg, and Reuters are especially important because they provide fast, reliable news to smaller media companies and the public. Many local news organizations don’t have reporters in Washington, so they depend on these wire services for up-to-date information.

Financial markets also rely on real-time updates from these agencies, especially when the President makes statements that could affect the economy. Without guaranteed access, there could be delays in getting important news out.

This isn’t the first time the Trump istration has clashed with the AP. In February 2025, the White House banned AP journalists from the press pool after the news agency refused to use the President’s preferred term, “Gulf of America,” for the Gulf of Mexico. The AP sued, saying the White House was violating the First Amendment, and a judge ruled in their favor, ordering the istration to let them back in. However, the White House appealed, and the case is still ongoing.

It’s an easy argument that independent, unbiased news is essential for democracy and that limiting access to the President undermines this. The White House Correspondents’ Association also criticized the move, seeing it as punishment for news organizations that have reported critically on the istration.

The White House has reacted after a French politician demanded that the U.S. return the Statue of Liberty, saying the country no longer embodies the spirit of the iconic monument. 

Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and the co-president of a small left-wing party in , made the statements at a recent political appearance while speaking to ers. He said the U.S. — which received the statue as a gift from over 140 years ago — is now unworthy of the monument because Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants,” in reference to the istration of Donald Trump. 

French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann suggests that the U.S. return the Statue of Liberty:

“We’re going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants: ‘Give [it back.] We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.” pic.twitter.com/5Lxg69nWKj

— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 17, 2025

Erected in the 1880s, the Statue of Liberty was gifted to the U.S. to formalize its diplomatic relations with , as well as to enshrine the concept of American independence from Great Britain. However, according to Glucksmann, all that symbolism has been eroded thanks to the new president, whose drastic foreign policies have led Glucksmann to believe that Americans “despise” the Statue of Liberty. “Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann declared to ers, who were reportedly heard applauding and whistling.

“It was our gift to you, but apparently you despise it,” he added. “So she will be happy here with us.” Despite his hopes otherwise, it’s highly unlikely that Glucksmann’s quest to return the Statue of Liberty to would ever become a reality, since it is legally the property of the U.S. under UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations. While perhaps the only comment we’d need is from Lady Liberty herself (I imagine, inexplicably, that she sounds like Dame Judi Dench), Karoline Leavitt took time to weigh in on Glucksmann’s demand. 

'It's only because of the US, the French are not speaking German right now.'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sends a message to French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, who called for the US should return the Statue of Liberty.https://t.co/DaI7veKhUS

Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/o494DwbxT3

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 17, 2025

“Absolutely not,” the White House press secretary said when asked whether the istration would entertain the idea. “My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now,” she added, referencing American-French allyship during World War II in opposition of Nazi . Leavitt concluded by declaring that “should be grateful” to the U.S. 

For what it’s worth, Glucksmann’s comments do not align with the stance of French president Emmanuel Macron, who is treading the fine line of collaborating with Trump while also pushing back against his aggressive tariff policies. Those policies came to a head last week, when Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French alcohol imports, in response to the European Union’s plans for a 25% tariff on American whiskey. is simply the latest country to have been drawn into Trump’s bizarre diplomatic and foreign policy manoeuvres. 

President Trump posts from his Truth Social on the European Union and 50% tariffs. US will reciprocate with 200% tariffs on all spirits coming out of and other countries.#zelena pic.twitter.com/Kccx7VIwfl

— Derailed MAGA Patriot "Ken" (@derailedgamer) March 13, 2025

Since his inauguration, Trump has taken aim at Mexico and China as the subject of his sweeping tariffs, and Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal as the sites of proposed annexation. Elsewhere, Trump has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his supposed role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and floated plans of “taking over” the Gaza strip amid the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Just when it seemed like the American government couldn’t up the weird ante, the newly appointed head of the newly minted White House Faith Office has found a way. Paula White has always embodied the worst parts of religion. She’s made a career on peddling religious mumbo jumbo through televangelism or praying for “satanic pregnancies” to spontaneously miscarry.

Like much of the rest of Donald Trump‘s cabinet, she’s only pseudo-qualified for the role specifically crafted for her. Just like every other member of Trump’s anti-woke aggressively DEI cabinet, she’s already wielding her role to line her incredibly deep pockets.

White is what some people call a prosperity theologist. Essentially, she thinks that the more money you donate to causes, including people like her, the more good karma you’ll get in your life. Obviously she doesn’t use the word karma. Instead, it’s more like ing off money allows you to “touch Jesus,” or like buying a burial plot long before you might die.

Of course, many religious folks view that as utterly bizarre, and more than one pastor, priest, bishop, or any other flavor of Christian leader you can think of has blasted the “religious leader” for her money-based faith and poor understanding of the Bible. White, unlike most religious leaders around the world, has no formal training. She never attended seminary school, a school of theology, or any other divinity school. Instead, she’s built a career around offering “spiritual advice” to celebrities and politicians like Trump. She takes chumps for every nickel and dime they have, and promises they can go to heaven or heal from sicknesses if the dollar signs are right.

The latest example of deplorable grifting sees White talking into the camera like a late-night infomercial of yesteryear. Invoking Proverbs 1:33 “Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm,” White asks her followers to send her $133 to match the Bible verse. If that particular proverb breaks the bank, White has a few alternatives.

White “stands on God’s word” to ensure that even her most impoverished follower can fill her coffer, invoking Esther 5:2. The completely unrelated quote reads, “Esther found FAVOR in the King’s sight and touched the tip of his spear.” Channeling her perfected inner grifter with just enough piety sprinkled on top to fool the weak-willed, she announces that sending the money is considered “an act of faith.”

“It’s the same thing as touching Jesus,” she soothes.

“Give a sacrificial offering to stand with Paula White Ministry,” she says before bringing her hands together in a begging motion. “I need you right now.” Her final push for donations comes from Esther 4:14. The $414 proverb reads, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this">data from Salary.com White has an average annual salary of more than half a million dollars from her ministry, which breaks down to around $300 an hour. The White House has yet to confirm how much her position will net her annually, but the average salary for a White House under Trump’s 2016 cabinet was 180k.

At 27 years old, Karoline Leavitt is the youngest White House Press Secretary, and, she’s recently made her debut.

This February I’ll be 27 but that’s where the almost-similarities between Ms. Leavitt and me come to a resolute end. On top of quite stark differences in our political and moral beliefs – on opposite sides of the Left/Right spectrum – her job is to talk, mine is to write. At the moment, more than at any other time, she’s got a high-profile social status that demands media attention, whereas that is not really my ambition. She gives her face to cover for anything President Donald Trump may say or do. I’d rather die than live long enough to see myself become the villain.

Bear in mind that this “villainy” does not hinge on particular political ideologies or different worldviews as much as the real ethically condemnable consequences of the uniquely twisted agenda Karoline Leavitt is employed to defend tooth and nail. But none of this should upset her moral com, considering how deep she is into Trump’s particular brand of conservatism, the kind of conservative movement which aligns with the dystopian arguments at the heart of Project 2025.

The new Press Secretary’s connection to Project 2025 ry4t

If we were to press on with the comparisons: Karoline Leavitt teaches “The Art of Professionalism” on Project 2025’s Certificate Program “Conservative Governance 101,” but I don’t share the belief that saying whatever serves my boss’ agenda with confidence – in quintessential Trumpian fashion – amounts to being professional. Similarly, claiming immigrants without the right paperwork “are by definition criminals,” does not mean all those being forcefully deported have committed a crime or even had any criminal intent when they tried to take residence in the States. She’s blonde with straight hair, I’m brunette with curly hair.

Although she’s not listed as one of Project 2025’s authors – unlike other Trump istration staff , like Office of Management and Budget’s Russell Vought – she’s nevertheless associated with it, her name featuring on the website as an instructor in “Conservative Governance 101.” The program promises to

“impart crucial institutional knowledge and best practices to succeed within federal appointed service. Aspiring political appointees will learn the basics of conservative governance, including how to staff your principal, the concepts and structure of the federal budget, and how to work with the media to advance the President’s agenda.”

Moving on: Karoline – we’re close in age so, imagining you’re reading this, I can call you Karoline, right? – and I are both on the eldest side of Gen Z but I haven’t made a single post on Twitter in my life so, I couldn’t have made a tweet that backfired as spectacularly as the Press Secretary’s past Wednesday tweet did.

As a The Washington Post journalist wrote in the aftermath of Karoline’s debut where she had to try to defend Trump’s executive orders aiming at a $3 trillion federal funding freeze: “It quickly became apparent that she had no clue about the crisis her boss had created.”

But that was not the only thing Karoline seems to be clueless about. The Press Secretary, whose job should entail an expertise in PR, clearly had no idea that her tweet would be vague enough a Rhode Island judge saw fit to side with the 22 states who filed the lawsuit and to issue a second restraining order on the defunding initiave, on top of a Washington D.C. federal judge’s block earlier on Monday.

So, as for one last difference between us: Karoline Leavitt is eager to use her mouth (or keyboard) in defense of her 78-year-old boss, whereas I would think a bit more carefully before doing so, especially if my words could backfire on my whole istration. But, in this case, good riddance.

In an ideal government, the commander in chief is not an aspiring autocrat who interprets any refusal to bend the knee as an unforgivable offense. Instead, and ideally, they ought to be surrounded by the most competent people who are not afraid to express dissidence if they believe the president is not acting on behalf of his citizens’ best interests. Unfortunately, it is the former description that best applies to Donald Trump’s second term in office, not the latter.

Many of us already expected the president to put unconditional loyalty above any other quality important to governance. During his campaign trail, his tendency to surround himself with people who were least likely to show him any resistance was in plain sight, the type of resistance he encountered during his first term from qualified political servants. One could say Trump learned a lesson from that resistance.

Now, he’s doing things so he won’t have to feel as inclined to fire the very people he hired once they disagree with his wishes. In practice, this means his aides are taking extra methodical steps in screening applicants for federal positions.

Fealty to Trump and his agenda before all else 4t1u4x

According to a report published by the Associated Press, this Trump istration is going the extra mile to guarantee that positions are filled by loyalists who won’t turncoat no matter what. One such measure was to issue “questionnaires to ensure they were fully committed to Trump’s agenda.” Some people have denominated these questionnaires as “loyalty tests.”

Appointees were expected “to prove their bona fides” and show as much “enthusiasm” about enacting the Trump agenda as humanly possible — one need only hear the new White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt making her debut to hear what that sounds like. Applicants were asked “whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by Trump’s team,” as well as about the moment when their “MAGA revelation” came to them.

The latter question sounds suspiciously close to something you might hear when someone’s being screened to enter a cult rather than being hired as a government employee. As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tells Jon Stewart in the clip above, “This is now a billionaire feeding frenzy. It’s a kiss-ass race. It is ‘How can I show how much fealty I have to Donald Trump?’ in order to get my digs.”

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), as well as many other Democratic leaders, warned the public last year that a second Trump istration would include nothing but blind loyalty to the president, and that the istration would forgo any adherence to expertise or experience in favor of following the twice-impeached convicted felon wherever his whims took him. So, it cannot objectively be a surprise that this would be the outcome, as the writing was on the wall all along. Well before Nov. 5, the alarm had been sounded off — by AOC included — that Project 2025 was a blueprint for Trump’s second term, and nothing that has happened in the two weeks since Trump took office has proven otherwise.

We had already heard from former staff about how the billionaire New Yorker found something worth emulating in the way Hitler’s generals followed their führer. Another former staff employee, John Bolton, the national security adviser during Trump’s first term, wrote an op-ed for The New York Times titled “Presidents Expect Loyalty. Trump Demands Fealty,” in which he put, in the clearest , how Trump’s handpicked personnel follow one requirement that “is unfortunately consistent: the likelihood that they will carry out Mr. Trump’s orders blind to norms and standards underlying effective governance or perhaps even to legality.”

While many of us foresaw the potential descent into dystopian levels of governance when it was still preventable, the rest must either open their eyes in the middle of the spiraling ride down or remain with eyes tightly shut and hands in the air as they enjoy the poisoned fruits of their November votes.

Despite a decidedly exclusive ceremony, the White House has now released photos of the wedding of President Joe Biden’s granddaughter on the South Lawn Saturday.

The wedding of Naomi King Biden—President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s granddaughter—and Peter George Hermann Neal took place at 11 a.m. ET in front of about 250 guests, the White House said in a statement. It went on to say:

“It has been a joy to watch Naomi grow, discover who she is, and carve out such an incredible life for herself. Now, we are filled with pride to see her choose Peter as her husband, and we’re honored to welcome him to our family. We wish them days full of laughter and a love that grows deeper with every ing year.”

After the ceremony proper, the press release said the President and First Lady “hosted a luncheon for family and the wedding party in the State Dining Room of the White House,” which will be followed by a reception with dessert and dancing later this evening.

In a somewhat unusual move, there was no press allowed at the ceremony itself. Adding to the mystique of this secrecy is the fact that guests reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements, and that the non-grata status of the press apparently upset the White House Correspondents Association, as We Got This Covered’s Michael Allen reported.

Naomi Biden is the 28-year-old Columbia Law graduate and daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle (Hunter’s ex). The 25-year-old Neal, who was also a student of law, interned at the White House during Barack Obama’s presidency and later for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, People reported. The couple live in the White House residence on its third floor in the same quarters where Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, once lived.

Some additional photos by Corbin Gurkin and John Dolan were also released to some outlets, which were later shared on Twitter.

The couple first made their engagement public back in September 2021 and represents the very first nuptials of a grandchild of a sitting president at the White House.

Today Joe Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi, was married at the White House, a day before his 80th birthday. Naomi Biden and Peter Neal, both lawyers who currently live in Washington, D.C., have just taken their vows as reporters stand outside the South Lawn with binoculars and high-powered cameras to catch the action.

Guests were standing in line well before 11 a.m. to get in to see the nuptials. Because of the secrecy shrouding the entire event, they were forced to sign NDAs. What details could possibly be involved in the wedding of Hunter Biden’s daughter that America isn’t supposed to know is hard to imagine, but the Biden istration has covered its bases on this top-secret event quite effectively.

No press allowed 551b55

The secrecy was so effectively enforced that the press was not allowed access on the White House grounds to take pictures and get all the steamy details. That move has the White House Correspondents Association very upset since it is their job to report on events such as this. The Biden istration has promised to release photos at some time today.

This has been the first-ever wedding on the South Lawn, but it wasn’t the first wedding at the White House. In an interview with TIME, the president of the White House Historical Association, Stewart McLaurin said, “There’s not been a South Lawn family wedding that I’m aware of.” 

A history of White House weddings 614v6d

Since the White House completed construction and was officially opened in 1800, there have been 19 weddings including Naomi’s. One of the most notable weddings was when Grover Cleveland became the only sitting president to get married in the White House when he wed s Folsom in 1886.

The first wedding took place in 1812 when the sister of First Lady Dolley Madison, Lucy Payne Washington, gave her hand in marriage to Supreme Court Associate Justice Thomas Todd. In 1820, President James Monroe’s daughter, Maria Hester Monroe, was wed to her father’s private secretary, Samuel L. Gouverneur.

Lynda Bird Johnson Robb told a funny story in a podcast about her father’s speech the night before her wedding to Marine Corps Captain Charles S. Robb in 1967. President Lyndon Johnson read a report his secret service kept detailing every time the captain snuck in and out of the White House. President Johnson went on to joke that he was going to have the documents shredded, and he was going to use the pieces as confetti to celebrate the wedding.

A fascinating fact about White House weddings is that they haven’t always included the family of the president. Official White House Photographer Pete Souza was wed to Patti Lease in the Rose Garden in 2013. Just to be clear, these weddings aren’t at the expense of the American people. Traditionally, the father of the bride is handed the bill, but they’re not free even at the White House, and some lucky patron gets to write the check.

For today, that would be President Biden himself. Now, he and his granddaughter will have a special bond always being able to celebrate her anniversary the day before his birthday.

The White House in Washington D.C. had some very special guests deliver a powerful message during a recent White House Press Briefing. International K-pop sensation BTS made an appearance in the country’s capital to deliver an important message just at the end of AAPI Heritage Month.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre welcomed BTS as they appeared behind her. The K-pop group visited the White House to visit U.S. president Joe Biden to spread awareness of anti-Asian targeted hate crimes, and to promote Asian representation and inclusion. Per Secretary Jean-Pierre,

“As you may know, BTS as Grammy Nominated Icons, they also play an important role as youth ambassadors promoting a message of respect and positivity.”

After the introduction, RM first went on the mic. He began by saying it’s a “great honor” to be invited to the White House to discuss important issues that resonated not only with them, but also with their fans. Each member took a turn on the mic to address the surge of Asian-American hate crimes in the U.S., and described how they want to use their platform and influence to give voice to these issues.

“Hi, we’re BTS. It is a great honor to be invited to the White House today to discuss the important issues of anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion and diversity,” 

“…We were devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes including Asian-American hate crimes, but to put a stop to this and the cause, we’d like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again.”

The K-pop group also spoke about how they still felt surprised that their music was able to reach plenty of people around the world, and that we should be open to embracing each other’s differences.

“We still feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending languages and cultural barriers. We believe music is always an amazing and wonderful unifier of all things.”

“It’s not wrong to be different, and equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences,”

“Everyone has their own history. We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person.”

It was discovered recently by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism that Anti-Asian hate crime has increased by 339 percent in 2021 in the U.S. It was also revealed that some cities, including New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, sured their rates of specifically anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020.