How Trump demolished the Kennedy Center's oversight

Plus: Do college rankings still matter? |

US Edition - Today's top story: Trump has gotten rid of many of the checks and balances that could stop him from demolishing the Kennedy Center September 28, 2026 US Edition   Top headlines Fuel prices could get a whole lot worse Are the chemicals on sales receipts dangerous? The case for generous paternal leave policies Lead story Like anyone in the Washington, D.C., area who enjoys seeing live theater, music and dance performances, I can’t count how many shows I’ve seen at the currently closed John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Whether I was on a dressy date or going to the ballet with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop, the Kennedy Center and its elegant interior, with its sweeping views of the Potomac River, elevated the experience. Now, Trump’s efforts to impose his will on the multi-venue complex could imperil the ability of future audiences to experience the arts there. I asked Andrew Taylor, an arts management scholar at American University, to explain how Trump was able to push the Kennedy Center to the brink. “The main cause of what I would call a governance failure,” he writes, “is that most of those official oversight authorities now serve at the pleasure of the president.” Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.   Emily Schwartz Greco Philanthropy + Nonprofits Editor   Musicians perform during a rally against the closing of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 18, 2026. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana Trump has gotten rid of many of the checks and balances that could stop him from demolishing the Kennedy Center E. Andrew Taylor, American University A hierarchy of oversight for the iconic arts venue has essentially collapsed. Environment + Energy Why fuel prices may go higher still Joshua Busby, The University of Texas at Austin; Greg Pollock, Georgetown University Seven months into the US conflict with Iran, with no clear end in sight, the global oil market has now largely exhausted the safety measures that exist to keep a lid on petroleum prices. Health + Medicine Are there toxic chemicals in your grocery store receipt? Sean McCann, University of Illinois Chicago For most people, handling receipts is a low-risk activity, but if you’re concerned, there are some straightforward precautions you can take. Generous paternal leave policies improve maternal and newborn health, family finances and workplace equality Megan Kuykendoll, Miami University Leave for the non-birthing parent after a new baby arrives gives the family an opportunity to bond. Menopause is a major health milestone, yet health records barely track it - new research Audrey Hendricks, University of Colorado Anschutz; Nanette Santoro, University of Colorado Anschutz Capturing data about the timing and symptoms of menopause could help address many unanswered questions about this common yet ignored experience. Arts + Culture What was the original first-person shooter? Two largely forgotten computer games from the 1970s ushered in the genre Mark J. P. Wolf, Concordia University Wisconsin The games created a new way of experiencing video games by building a 3D world in which events could unfold beyond the player’s line of sight. Education College rankings, like those of US News and World Report, remain influential, despite their many flaws and decades of criticism Austin Sarat, Amherst College College rankings can be consequential for less prestigious and less wealthy schools, giving them visibility they might not otherwise have. Science + Technology From lab to life: Why translating AI advances to the real world is a major challenge Bo Wang, University of Mississippi All the training data in the world can’t account for every possibility when AI systems interact with people and the environment. Hibernating bacteria can invade hospitals and survive outer space – but their high energy bill is a weakness that scientists can strike Canan Karakoç, Georgia Institute of Technology Bacteria make a survival gamble when they devote all their energy to forming spores. Evolution is quick to get rid of this function, and researchers did the accounting to understand why. Politics + Society Trump wants an AI Force like Space Force, but that could make AI’s risks harder to manage Jason M. Blazakis, Middlebury College An AI Force would likely push China to create its own. That arms race could turn a technology already slipping out of human control into a weapon. International Ethiopia’s armed opposition unites against Abiy Ahmed: 5 reads on the country’s political struggles Julius Maina, The Conversation; Kagure Gacheche, The Conversation A culture of solving political differences with conflict has led to persistent disagreements about the Ethiopian state. Trending on site Friendship is built over time, through ordinary moments – I teach lonely college students to notice them Data centers’ neighbors weigh in on how to manage them How due process, not the First Amendment, got the White House ban on reporters blocked in court Reader Comment I’m also GenX and agree with all three of your examples. However, when it comes to oversharing the norm may change as GenZ become the managers and directors. For us older folk we had to keep things compartmentalized to keep it professional, and when it came down to it many of us learned the hard way that our work friends are NOT our friends. That culture may shift if work-life balance gains more traction. — Merwyn Haskett Gen Z communicates differently in the workplace, but older colleagues can still decode them   About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. We can give away our articles thanks to the generosity of readers like you. Learn more about us Support our work More from The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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