What I Saw Inside the Kennedy Center I spent 10 months working at the institution because I thought I could help protect it. What I observed there is far worse than the public knows.

The Kennedy Center is the premier cultural event space in our Capitol. What Trump and his appointees are doing there is a disgrace.

Josef Palermo spent 10 months working at the Kennedy Center because he wanted to help protect it. He reports from inside the "hostile political takeover" of the nation’s cultural center: theatln.tc/OexwWjt5

📸: Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post / Getty

My Front-Row Seat to the Kennedy Center Implosion I spent 10 months working at the institution because I thought I could help protect it. What I observed there is far worse than the public knows.

What the Kennedy Center implosion looked like from the inside www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

Don’t Just Replace Chavez—Rethink Monuments It’s time for tributes to leave the great-man theory of history behind.

Wise and searching, from @cmonstah.bsky.social, on what to do about all the Cesar Chavez monuments, and all monuments www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

A tremendous essay, from the great Sebastian Smee, on art, and being an art critic (at a certain newspaper), in these times. www.themonthly.com.au/april-2026/e...

I Found It: The Best Free Restaurant Bread in America Thirteen thousand miles. Infinite contenders. One beautiful loaf.

completely insane and plausibly correct www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

From The Atlantic in 1957, Ben Shahn on nonconformity: “the prospect of having Van Gogh himself in the living room would put a good many devoted art lovers to rout.” www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

An illuminating close read of D.C.’s Cohen Building, the “Sistine Chapel of the New Deal” that makes a case not just for its own beauty, but a vision of society. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Wrestling’s Newest Star Is Massive, Bearded, and Ready to Piledrive ICE The debate over immigration enforcement has crept into a brash and crass entertainment, which is less immune to reality than you’d think.

The wrestling star who’s ready to piledrive ICE. Fun and enlightening from @jeremygordon.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

I Took to the Road and Found Hope for America At sites devoted to preserving the nation’s complicated past, people were constructing better futures.

Visit historical sites for America's 250th. Not just the obvious ones. Great excerpt from Beverly Gage's new book: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Oh hell yeah

Hitler’s Edifice Complex He was obsessed with adding an expensive new wing to the Reich Chancellery, part of his grandiose architectural ambitions for the nation’s capital

When Hitler sought to add a grandiose new wing to the Reich Chancellery www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

What Tracy Kidder Stood For His deep, immersive writing had moral stakes and changed people’s lives.

A very lovely Tracy Kidder appreciation from Cullen Murphy (and an accidental rejoinder to all the A.I. and writing discourse this week) www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

The Trump Library Symbolizes His Presidency Perfectly Plans for a new Miami skyscraper reveal a monument fit for a real-estate mogul.

From @henrygrabar.bsky.social, the too-perfect symbolism of the Trump presidential library www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Judge halts construction on Trump’s White House ballroom The planned $400 million project has been a priority for the president.

Breaking: federal judge orders a HALT to President Trump’s planned White House ballroom

Judge Leon: “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!”

With @jonathanreports.bsky.social

The Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the General Services Administration (GSA), the National Park Service (NPS), and the District of Columbia Government formed an Executive Committee and l...

The public comment period for the revamping of Pennsylvania Avenue opened today www.ncpc.gov/initiatives/...

The Atlantic Hires Kelsey Ables, Janay Kingsberry, Will Oremus, and Matt Viser as Staff Writers None

Some pretty excellent news! www.theatlantic.com/press-releas...

Trump shows off new ballroom designs as he defends $400 million project The planned White House addition, a top priority of the president, is facing a key vote this week. A federal judge may also rule to halt the project.

"The New York Times on Sunday wrote about concerns over the ballroom’s design, an article that appeared to irk the president, who mentioned it several times aboard Air Force One." www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Adam Carolla never wanted to be the conservative comedian. Yet here he is. The podcaster says he isn’t interested in climbing the late-night ladder or striking big deals as much as being able to say — often vulgarly — whatever he wants.

Very good profile by @gedge1.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...

The Bill Maher Effect For the past year, Donald Trump has made the Kennedy Center all about him. Last night, the comedian revealed the limits of that approach.

I wrote about Bill Maher’s interesting and revealing week: www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

The Kennedy Center’s longest-serving volunteer fears ‘this is the end’ Marilyn Schoon has given her heart to the national cultural center since 1972, a year after its inception. But she no longer fully trusts it.

Excellent, on the Kennedy Center’s longest-serving volunteer www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

The Surprising Reason for the New Homophobia Americans are burned-out, frustrated, and hunting for scapegoats.

An excellent essay on the bigotry-maxxers www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

Not So Fast, Bill Maher The comedian was set to receive the Twain Prize before a sudden reversal of course.

... here's what we wrote last week: www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

Comedian Bill Maher will be awarded Mark Twain humor prize despite earlier White House denials He's a frequent critic of the president.

Politico reports, and I am told, that Bill Maher will get the Twain Prize at the KenCen.... www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

Claude Takes On Monet Why is Anthropic sponsoring an exhibition about Monet?

Lovely little piece by @matteowong.bsky.social about Anthropic's sponsorship of a Claude Monet exhibit, and the greater meaning of "interaction" that the company (and its technology) misses

The Life-Changing Power of a Book Review Before Algorithms

Serendipity and Book World: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/b...

Chuck Norris Played Too Good a Bad Guy to Stay One Before he became an avatar of manly hyperbole, he held his own against Bruce Lee.

I wrote about The Life of Chuck (Norris) — the karate champ turned Bruce Lee heel turned VHS king turned immortal meme turned MAGA clown who counted to infinity, twice — for @the Atlantic.

www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

The Strangeness of a Trumpified Capital The festooning of the president’s name and likeness across Washington, D.C., is consistent with authoritarian tendencies.

An Atlantic photo essay: When Trump's face and name are everywhere in your city. www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

Chuck Norris Played Too Good a Bad Guy to Stay One Before he became an avatar of manly hyperbole, he held his own against Bruce Lee.

In The Atlantic, a Chuck Norris appreciation that will PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE from @ctklimek.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

Column | Trump is the biggest threat to D.C.’s architectural splendor since War of 1812 President Trump’s garish, piecemeal changes to Washington’s urban design and architecture are poised to destroy symbolism upheld for centuries.

"Trump is the most significant threat to the city’s architectural and design legacy since British forces burned the Capitol and White House during the War of 1812." www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...