Darlene Superville, Author at The Rapid City Post

First lady Melania Trump works on Valentine's Day arts and crafts with patients at The Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Melania Trump says she doesn’t eat ‘much sweets’ as she celebrates Valentine’s Day with children

February 11, 2026

Melania Trump celebrated an early Valentine’s Day with children and young adults receiving treatment for rare and serious diseases. On Wednesday, the first lady visited The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, to help make holiday-themed crafts. She also made a somewhat sour confession before a holiday famous for heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. “I don’t eat much sweets,” the first lady said. The Children’s Inn is a nonprofit that provides support to children participating in NIH clinical trials to treat their conditions. President Donald Trump has cut billions of dollars in research projects at NIH since taking office.

First lady Melania Trump meets with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel at the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Melania Trump meets with freed American-Israeli hostage whose story she features in her new film

February 4, 2026

Melania Trump has met at the White House with a freed American-Israeli hostage whose plight she featured in her new documentary. Keith Siegel was held for 484 days until being released last year under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire shortly after Donald Trump began his second term as president. Melania Trump on Wednesday recounted the emotional meeting she had with his wife in January 2025, a scene that she noted “was captured on camera and available to see in my film, ‘Melania.’” Asked by a reporter if it was appropriate for her to use an official White House event to promote her documentary, the first lady said she wasn’t doing that.

A bronze sculpture of President John F. Kennedy is displayed in the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Trump says he won’t tear down the Kennedy Center arts venue but it needs to be closed for repairs

February 2, 2026

President Donald Trump says he won’t tear down the Kennedy Center. Asked about his Sunday announcement that he wants to close the center for two years, Trump said Monday that the building needs repairs and the work can’t be done while patrons are coming and going from shows and other performances. The Republican president said the work would cost about $200 million, including installation of the “highest-grade marble, the highest-grade everything.” Such a project would mark Trump’s latest effort to put his stamp on a cultural institution that serves as living memorial to Democratic President John F. Kennedy.

First lady Melania Trump arrives for the premiere of her movie "Melania" at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

From stilettos to safety concerns on Inauguration Day: 4 takeaways from Melania Trump’s new movie

January 30, 2026

In her new self-titled documentary, first lady Melania Trump offers a peek behind the scenes during the 20 days before she returned to the White House. The first lady is known as a fierce guardian of her privacy. But she had film crews follow her around in Palm Beach, New York City and Washington as she worked through the tiniest details of inauguration planning, including her suit and gown. The film shows her worries about safety on Inauguration Day after her husband, President Donald Trump, survived an assassination attempt during his campaign. AmazonMGM Studios paid a reported $40 million for the rights to the film, which opened in theaters Friday.

First lady Melania Trump poses for photos on the podium after ringing the New York Stock Exchange opening bell, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Melania Trump’s documentary premieres at the Kennedy Center ahead of global release

January 28, 2026

Melania Trump is capping her first year after becoming first lady again with the global release of a documentary about the 20 days before she and President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The Kennedy Center in Washington has scheduled a screening for the movie, “Melania,” on Thursday, one day before its release in theaters worldwide. Melania Trump says the film will offer rare insight into her life as she juggled her private businesses and planned her family’s return to the White House in the run-up to the 2025 inauguration.

Marine One helicopter is seen on the South Lawn of the White House to transport President Donald Trump to nearby Andrews Air Force Base, as work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House, Tuesday, Jan., 13, 2026, in Washington, where the East Wing once stood. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Trump quietly appoints 4 members to commission that will review his White House ballroom plan

January 16, 2026

President Donald Trump this week quietly appointed four new members to the Commission of Fine Arts, one of two federal panels reviewing his plan to build a White House ballroom. One of the new members is James McCrery, an architect who had led the ballroom project until Trump replaced him late last year. The White House announced the project last summer and Trump later demolished the East Wing to make room for it. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to halt construction until the fine arts panel and a second federal commission give their approval. The names of the new commissioners were revealed in a court filing related to the lawsuit.

FILE - Governor Wanda Vázquez speaks at a press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti, File)

Trump to pardon ex-Puerto Rico governor Vázquez in campaign finance case, official says

January 16, 2026

President Donald Trump plans to pardon former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez, a White House official said. The official who confirmed the planned pardon on Friday wasn’t authorized to reveal the news by name and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Vázquez pleaded guilty last August to a campaign finance violation in a federal case that authorities say also involved a former FBI agent and a Venezuelan banker. Her sentencing was set for later this month. Federal prosecutors had been seeking one year behind bars. Vázquez was the U.S. territory’s first former governor to plead guilty to a crime, specifically accepting a donation from a foreigner for her 2020 political campaign.

Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House where the East Wing once stood, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

White House will present Trump’s ballroom project for a review months after construction began

January 8, 2026

The White House is expected to share details of President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom at a monthly meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission. The meeting is Thursday. An information presentation is often the first step in the review process. Commissioners can ask questions and share observations before a more formal review. Votes and public testimony will be allowed later. Trump in October demolished the East Wing of the White House in preparation for building the ballroom. The Republican president has put the price tag at $400 million — double the original estimate. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to halt construction.

New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, is unveiled on the Kennedy Center, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump may have his name on the building but it’s still the Kennedy Center to Congress

January 5, 2026

President Donald Trump may have his name on the building but it’s still the Kennedy Center to Congress. A bipartisan spending package released Monday by House Speaker Mike Johnson includes $32 million for operating expenses at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts through Sept. 30, 2027. Trump made a series of leadership changes at the center after he took office. The Republican president’s handpicked board of trustees voted in December to add his name to Kennedy’s on the exterior of the building and the website, turning it into the Trump Kennedy Center for short.

Former White House chief usher Gary Walters, author of "White House Memories," is interviewed about his book, in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump isn’t the 1st president to want more room to entertain, longtime White House usher says

December 31, 2025

The longest-serving White House chief usher says presidents before Donald Trump were interested in having a larger space for entertaining too. It’s a sentiment that Trump cites as justification for building a new ballroom, a project he now estimates will cost $400 million. Gary Walters retired as chief usher in 2007 after 21 years in the job. He recently wrote a memoir about his time at the White House. Walters says massive tents on the south grounds were used for events that were too big for indoors, but they came at a cost. Trump has complained about using tents.

Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House where the East Wing once stood, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Head of group suing over White House ballroom says she trusts Trump-picked chairman to do his job

December 19, 2025

The president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation says she trusts the Trump-appointed chairman of a federal planning commission to do his job and seriously review President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a ballroom at the White House. Carol Quillen said Friday that she takes Will Scharf “at his word.” Scharf recently said the National Capital Planning Commission will conduct a serious and deliberative review of the ballroom plans. Scharf is a top White House aide to Trump. The National Trust has sued to halt construction until several independent reviews are conducted.

Tarps are installed in front of the sign on the Kennedy Center on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The Kennedy Center starts work to add Trump’s name onto the building

December 19, 2025

The Kennedy Center is starting to add President Donald Trump’s name to the building. Several blue tarps were hung in front of the building Friday to obscure the work. A large letter D has been seen on the wall. The work follows a vote Thursday by the Washington performing arts center’s board to give a new name to an institution that was named for John F. Kennedy, a Democratic president. The board was handpicked by Trump, a Republican. The board voted to rename The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts

Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House, Tuesday, Dec., 9, 2025, in Washington, where the East Wing once stood. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Federal judge says he’s inclined to deny preservationists’ request to halt Trump’s ballroom project

December 16, 2025

A federal judge in Washington says he’s inclined to deny a preservationist group’s request to order a temporary halt to President Donald Trump’s ballroom project. Judge Richard Leon said Tuesday he expects to issue a decision within a day. Trump demolished the White House East Wing to build a large ballroom in its place. The National Trust for Historic Preservation went to court last week seeking a temporary halt to the project until the plans undergo several independent reviews. A Justice Department attorney argued at a hearing on Wednesday that the Trust has no standing to sue and that underground construction must continue for national security reasons.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk the red carpet before the 48th Kennedy Center Honors, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Trump says Netflix deal to buy Warner Bros. ‘could be a problem’ because of size of market share

December 8, 2025

President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.

First lady Melania Trump reads "How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?" to children and their families at Children's National Hospital, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Melania Trump wishes strength and toys from Santa during visit with hospitalized children

December 5, 2025

Melania Trump has continued a decades-old first lady tradition of visiting with hospitalized children for the holidays. The first lady on Friday was escorted into the festively decorated atrium of Children’s National hospital in Washington by two patients. She sat in a large red chair in front of a tall Christmas tree and read, “How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?” by Mac Barnett. Trump wished the nearly two dozen children in the audience lots of strength and toys from Santa before she left. She said President Donald Trump was sending “love and best wishes as well.”

First lady Melania Trump claps after lighting the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Melania Trump lights the National Christmas Tree after president counts down

December 4, 2025

First lady Melania Trump has lit the National Christmas Tree on a chilly night in the nation’s capital. At the annual tree lighting on the Ellipse, just south of the White House, President Donald Trump told the crowd, “The first lady is going to do the honors.” He counted down from five to zero. Melania then stepped forward and pressed a button that made the tree behind them sparkle with gold-toned lights. “It’s a beauty,” the president said. The event featured performances by rock legends the Beach Boys, Christian music singer Matthew West and country artists Gabby Barrett, Jon Pardi, Alana Springsteen, Brett Young and Warren Zeiders.

People walk through a newly constructed covered walkway on the North Lawn while arriving for a White House tour, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington, as tours resume for the first time since construction of a new ballroom began at the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

White House tours resume in time for Christmas, but they’re different than before

December 3, 2025

President Donald Trump’s decision to knock down the East Wing to build a big ballroom has significantly altered the visitor experience at the White House. There’s a different entrance now and fewer rooms to see, but some of those who toured the Executive Mansion on Wednesday were glad for the opportunity to see the White House decked out in its Christmas glory by first lady Melania Trump. Her butterfly decor in the Red Room was a highlight for some. Others were sad about the loss of the East Wing, which had been the traditional entrance for visitors.

Christmas trees decorate the Cross Hall of the White House during a press preview of the Christmas decorations "Home is Where the Heart Is," Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Melania Trump reveals White House holiday decorations and her theme, ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’

December 1, 2025

Melania Trump and Usha Vance, who is married to the vice president, helped military spouses assemble care packages and write holiday cards for deployed service members during an American Red Cross event at a U.S Air Force base near Washington. The first lady praised the spouses for carrying “the weight of family life” while their husbands or wives are away from home serving the country. Vance, whose husband, Vice President JD Vance, is a former Marine, said the holiday season is a time to “lift up” those who serve. They traveled to the base on Monday after the first lady unveiled the White House holiday decorations.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a dinner with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Melania Trump and Usha Vance are making an early holiday visit with North Carolina military families

November 19, 2025

Melania Trump and Usha Vance are set to travel together for the first time. They’re heading out to visit North Carolina military families. The first lady and second lady were scheduled Wednesday to visit military personnel at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. Trump’s office said their day includes activities with military-connected students as well as remarks from both women to service members and their families as part of a show of appreciation for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the nation as the holidays approach.

FILE - First lady Laura Bush, center, introduce from l-r, White House Chef Cris Comerford, White House Social Secretary Lea Berman, and White House Usher Gary Walters,as she hosts a media preview of the 2006 holiday decorations at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File)

Gary Walters worked in the White House for 37 years. Here’s what the chief usher saw

November 17, 2025

Gary Walters saw a lot of history in a 37-year career at the White House. He started out as an officer assigned to help protect two presidents and ended as the chief usher, having served four presidents. The chief usher is the person whose job it is to help make the White House as comfortable a home as possible for the first family. Walters is the longest-serving chief usher in White House history and he’s sharing stories from his career in a new book, “White House Memories 1970-2007: Recollections of the Longest-Serving Chief Usher.”

A commemorative ornament released by America250 as part of events leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, is photographed Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

America will celebrate its 250th birthday next year. There’s a commemorative ornament for it

November 17, 2025

The nonprofit organization planning celebrations for America’s 250th birthday in 2026 has unveiled a special commemorative ornament featuring the Declaration of Independence. That’s the document the Second Continental Congress used to announce it was breaking away from Britain on July 4, 1776. The gold-trimmed ornament is a collaboration between America250.org and the White House Historical Association. One side features the Declaration of Independence printed on linen and the reverse side shows the White House, the America250 logo and the years 1776 and 2026. Organizers say it’s a symbol of unity, and they hope the celebration of America’s birthday helps bring a politically divided country closer together.

FILE - Artist Norman Rockwell, right and his wife Molly, left, in his last public appearance at a 'Norman Rockwell Day' parade in Stockbridge, Mass., Nov. 9, 1978. (AP Photo, File)

These Norman Rockwell sketches once hung in the White House. On Friday, they’re up for auction

November 13, 2025

The White House Historical Association is hoping to reclaim a series of sketches by American painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell that once hung in the West Wing. The sketches show scenes of people anticipating meeting the president as they hang out in the waiting room. The four interrelated sketches were put up for sale by a descendant of the White House official who received them from Rockwell as a gift. They are scheduled to be sold Friday by a Dallas-based auction house. The association wants to return the sketches to the White House collection.

Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks about her new book "The Look" during an event at Sixth and I, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

From gowns to pantsuits, Michelle Obama explains her iconic fashion picks in a new book, ‘The Look’

November 12, 2025

Michelle Obama says that on any day during the eight years she was first lady of the United States, she could go from giving a speech to meeting with a foreign counterpart to digging in her vegetable garden with schoolchildren. She says her clothes had to be ready for the variety. But she also never wanted her clothes to be off-putting to others. The former first lady who went on to be admired for her fashion sense chronicles her style journey in her latest book, “The Look.” She spoke about it during a moderated conversation Wednesday night in Washington.

FILE - Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn, speaks outside the hush money criminal case of former president Donald Trump in New York, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Trump pardons the husband of Republican supporter Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee

November 11, 2025

President Donald Trump has pardoned the husband of Republican congresswoman Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee. Robert Harshbarger Jr. was a licensed pharmacist when he pleaded guilty in 2013 to substituting a cheaper drug imported from China that was not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a drug the FDA had approved for kidney dialysis patients. Harshbarger was sentenced to and served four years in prison. A White House official on Tuesday defended the pardon for Harshbarger, saying he had engaged in a practice common among pharmacists and was a victim of “excessive prosecution.” Harshbarger’s pardon was among a batch Trump signed on Friday.

The American flag is seen at half-staff, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump has been silent about Dick Cheney’s death. But on the campaign trail, he railed against him

November 4, 2025

The flags at the White House are lowered to half-staff in honor of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who died on Tuesday. But President Donald Trump isn’t talking about his fellow Republican. He came to view Cheney as a political opponent after Liz Cheney, the vice president’s daughter, became a leading critic. Liz Cheney was part of the committee that blamed Trump for the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. Dick Cheney called him a “coward” and later said he was voting for Democrat Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024. Trump responded by insulting the elder Cheney.

Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, poses for a portrait after speaking about the history of the East Wing of the White House, construction of a new ballroom, and President John Adams moving into the White House, during an interview with The Associated Press, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The East Wing demolition was ‘jarring.’ But a White House history buff sees a silver lining

October 28, 2025

Stewart McLaurin knew it was coming. But the president of the White House Historical Association says it was still “jarring” to see the entire White House East Wing torn down as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to add a ballroom. McLaurin hasn’t taken a position on the Republican president’s proposal. That’s not his role as the longtime president of the nonprofit, nonpartisan group. But McLaurin said he’s seen something positive come out of the demolition. He says more people have been talking and learning about White House history in the past couple of weeks.

FILE - A large ribbon is displayed outside the East Wing of the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The East Wing of the White House is gone. Here’s a look at some of the history made there

October 26, 2025

Betty Ford reportedly said that if the White House West Wing is the “mind” of the nation, then the East Wing is the “heart.” That “heart” beat for more than 100 years until this past week, when President Donald Trump had the East Wing torn down to build a ballroom. First ladies and their teams have worked from their East Wing offices on everything from anti-drug and literacy campaigns to beautification and preservation programs. The Trump White House says it will rebuild a more modern East Wing. Some of those who worked there have mixed opinions about the demolition.

Republican Jack Ciattarelli speaks during the final debate in the New Jersey governor's race with Democrat Mikie Sherrill, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in New Brunswick, N.J. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Trump speaks at tele-rally to boost GOP’s chances in governor’s race in New Jersey

October 24, 2025

President Donald Trump is urging his supporters in New Jersey to vote for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli. He made these remarks during a telephone rally Friday, before early voting starts on Saturday. During the call and at the White House, Trump emphasized Ciattarelli’s focus on reducing energy costs and praised his knowledge of the energy sector. Trump also encouraged voters with mail ballots to submit them but reiterated his skepticism about mail voting. New Jersey and Virginia are the only states with gubernatorial contests on Nov. 4, seen as indicators for the upcoming midterms. Trump has not announced plans to campaign in person with Ciattarelli.

Work begins on the demolition of a part of the East Wing of the White House, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Washington, before construction of a new ballroom. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump’s ballroom

October 22, 2025

The White House has started tearing down part of the East Wing to build the ballroom President Donald Trump wants added to the building. Demolition started Monday. Dramatic photos showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a nearby park. The Republican president has said he’s adding a 90,000-square-foot ballroom because the East Room, the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. Trump said last week that the ballroom will fit 999 people.

Work continues on the demolition of a part of the East Wing of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington, before construction of a new ballroom. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

What to know about the $250 million ballroom Trump is adding to the White House

October 21, 2025

President Donald Trump is adding a $250 million ballroom to the east side of the White House. Construction started this week with crews tearing down the facade of the East Wing. Trump and White House officials had said nothing would be demolished during construction. The 90,000-square-foot ballroom will dwarf the main White House itself. Trump says it will accommodate 999 people, up from 650 guests. That’s almost five times the number that can fit into the East Room, the largest space in the mansion. Trump says the ballroom won’t cost taxpayers a dime. The White House hasn’t released information on who is donating money to help build it.

President Donald Trump addresses a dinner for donors who have contributed to build the new ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Trump plans to leave his mark on Washington by building a Paris-like arch near the Lincoln Memorial

October 16, 2025

President Donald Trump plans to leave his mark on the nation’s capital by building a Paris-like arch at one of the entrances to the District of Columbia. The Republican president unveiled the plan at a White House dinner on Wednesday for the wealthy businesspeople who have pledged money toward the $250 million cost of adding a ballroom to the Executive Mansion. The arch would be built on federal land west of the Lincoln Memorial, on the Washington side of the Memorial Bridge, near Arlington, Virginia. The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

FILE - President Joe Biden walks out to speak at the International African American Museum in Charleston, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Biden is receiving radiation and hormone therapy to treat his prostate cancer

October 11, 2025

Former President Joe Biden’s treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer has entered a new phase. A spokesperson says the 82-year-old Democrat is now undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment to manage the cancer. Biden’s office announced in May that he’d been diagnosed with prostate cancer and that it had spread to his bone. The cancer was discovered after Biden reported urinary symptoms. Last month, Biden had surgery to remove skin cancer lesions from his forehead.

First lady Melania Trump speaks in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Melania Trump says 8 children are reunited with families after ongoing talks with Putin

October 10, 2025

First lady Melania Trump says eight children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war have been reunited with their families after ongoing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Melania Trump in August wrote a letter to Putin and had her husband hand-deliver it during his meeting with the Russian president in Alaska. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in Russia taking Ukrainian children out of their country so they can be raised as Russian. The first lady said Friday in a statement at the White House that Putin responded to her letter and after that, they had established an “open channel of communication” regarding the welfare of those children.

FILE - Amelia Earhart poses for photos as she arrives in Southampton, England, after her transatlantic flight on the "Friendship" from Burry Point, Wales, June 26, 1928. (AP Photo/File)

Trump says he’s ordered the declassification and release of all government records on Amelia Earhart

September 26, 2025

President Donald Trump says he has ordered the government to declassify and release all records on missing aviator Amelia Earhart. He made the announcement Friday after returning to the White House from a golf tournament in New York. Trump wrote on his social media site that Earhart’s fate is an “interesting story” and that people have been asking him about whether he’d consider declassifying and making public everything the government knows about her, including her final flight. Earhart’s plane vanished during her attempt to fly around the world in 1937. Trump says her disappearance has “captivated millions.”

A sign reading "The Presidential Walk of Fame" and pieces of brown paper are taped along the wall of the White House colonnade next to the Rose Garden, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump snubs Biden with autopen photo on new Presidential Walk of Fame

September 24, 2025

President Donald Trump has added a Presidential Walk of Fame to the White House, featuring portraits of previous commanders-in-chief — except for one. Instead of Joe Biden’s portrait, Trump hung a photo of an autopen signing the Democrat president’s name. This move reflects Trump’s ongoing attempts to delegitimize Biden, whom he has frequently criticized. Trump has never acknowledged his defeat to Biden in the 2020 election, falsely attributing it to voter fraud. The Walk of Fame is part of several design changes Trump has made since resuming office, including adding gold flourishes and new flagpoles.

President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House to board Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

What to know after Trump classifies decentralized antifa movement as a domestic terror organization

September 22, 2025

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order designating antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Antifa, short for “anti-fascists,” is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups and is not a singular entity. It consists of groups that resist fascists and neo-Nazis, especially at demonstrations. The order did not specify how the administration would label what is effectively a decentralized movement as a domestic terrorist organization. Trump had said last week on social media that he would designate antifa as a “major terrorist organization.”

John Hutton, illustrator and professor of art history at Salem College, holds open his book, "How To Draw The Presidents and First Ladies," Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at The People's House, a museum in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

How to draw every president and first lady in 4 steps

September 1, 2025

An art history professor from North Carolina has developed a unique method for drawing portraits of U.S. presidents and first ladies. John Hutton starts each portrait with an egg-shaped frame, adding facial features, hair, and shoulders in a four-step process. Hutton’s technique is detailed in his new book, “How to Draw the Presidents & First Ladies,” published by the White House Historical Association. He believes anyone can learn to draw by following patterns. Hutton has been drawing since childhood and also illustrates children’s books. His method aims to make drawing accessible to everyone.

FILE - First lady Melania Trump speaks during an event unveiling a U.S. Postal Service Stamp honoring former first lady Barbara Bush, May 8, 2025, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, FIle)

Melania Trump invites K-12 students to participate in nationwide AI challenge contest

August 26, 2025

Melania Trump is inviting students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest using artificial intelligence. The goal is to help them get comfortable with AI and to use it to solve issues in their communities. The first lady announced the Presidential AI Challenge in a video on Tuesday. Students who sign up at AI.gov starting Tuesday will be required to complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners.

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to the media as he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf club in Turnberry, Scotland, Monday, July 28, 2025. (Christopher Furlong/Pool Photo via AP)

Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he ‘stole people that worked for me’

July 28, 2025

President Donald Trump says his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein ended after Epstein hired people who had worked for Trump. The Republican president said Monday that he had warned Epstein about hiring Trump staff and that when Epstein did it again, “I threw him out of the place.” The place Trump refers to is his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Authorities say the disgraced financier killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The case has dogged Trump after he and his top allies stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death.

FILE - Hulk Hogan speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Trump and Hulk Hogan forged a decadeslong bond based on wrestling, reality stardom and politics

July 24, 2025

Donald Trump is mourning the death of his friend Hulk Hogan. The pair’s friendship began at a 1980s wrestling event in Atlantic City. Both gained fame in reality TV and later politics. Hogan, a former wrestler, endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, dramatically revealing a Trump-Vance campaign shirt. He said he was motivated by an attempted assassination on Trump days earlier. After Hogan’s death Thursday, Trump praised his strength and cultural impact. Their friendship included shared appearances at wrestling events and political rallies.

President Donald Trump, left, meets with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, as CIA Director John Ratcliffe, from second left, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and from second right, Netanyahu's wife Sara Netanyahu, Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Israel's National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi, obstructed, and Israel's Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs listen in the Blue Room of the White House, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The newest way to influence Trump: Nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize

July 10, 2025

Leaders, lawmakers and others are using a new strategy to stay on President Donald Trump’s good side: Nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize and let him know it. The Republican president has coveted the prestigious honor for years and nominations for him to get it are piling up. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week gave Trump a copy of the nomination letter he sent to the Nobel committee. African leaders meeting with Trump praised his work brokering peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and told him he deserved the prize because of it. Pakistan also nominated Trump for helping ease tensions with India.

Trump avoids talk of scrapping FEMA after more than 100 killed in Texas flash flood

July 8, 2025

President Donald Trump has avoided talk of scrapping the federal disaster response agency after the catastrophic flash flood in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including children at an all-girls camp. He was asked shortly after the disaster if he still intended to phase out FEMA but said it wasn’t the right time to talk about it. He also didn’t mention his plans during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. Instead, the Republican president opened the meeting by having Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem talk about her visit leading the federal response. Noem grew emotional as she described watching parents pull their children’s belongings from the mud.

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Trump says he won’t call Minnesota Gov. Walz after lawmaker shootings because it would ‘waste time’

June 17, 2025

A spokesperson for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says the governor wishes Donald Trump would be a “president for all Americans.” That statement comes after Trump said that he won’t call Walz after two Democratic lawmakers were shot, one fatally. Trump says doing so would “waste time.” Trump told reporters he could “be nice” and call the governor, “but why waste time?” Walz was the 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate and he often branded Trump as “weird.” Walz said on social media that he’s heartened at times of tragedy “when people of different views and even different nations can rally together around our shared humanity,.”

White House breaks ground on Trump projects to pave over Rose Garden grass, add flagpoles to lawns

June 9, 2025

The White House has broken ground on construction projects ordered by President Donald Trump to pave over the Rose Garden lawn and install flagpoles on the north and south lawns. Reporters saw the Rose Garden project had begun Monday as they were taken out to the South Lawn to wait for Trump to return on the Marine One helicopter. The Republican president had overnighted at the Camp David retreat in Maryland. After getting off the chopper, Trump walked over to a bulldozer positioned on the lawn to start digging a foundation for one of two flagpoles.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with children during a briefing for children during a Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump’s sweet tooth: He eats a ‘good amount’ of candy and likes pink Starbursts and Tootsie Rolls

May 20, 2025

President Donald Trump has a sweet tooth. That’s according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who made the revelation at a briefing Tuesday for the children of White House reporters. It was part of a day of events as the White House observed Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. The president and first lady Melania Trump also held separate events with groups of children. One child asked Leavitt how much candy does the president eat every day and she said, “a good amount.” She said he likes pink Starburst candies and Tootsie Rolls.

Darlene Superville.