Overview
- Initial reports from The Atlantic, citing anonymous sources, said Maher had been chosen and offered the award but had not yet accepted.
- After that report, Atlantic journalist Michael Scherer said the White House called the Kennedy Center and made clear Maher would not receive the prize.
- Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the reports “fake news” and said Maher will not be getting the award, a message echoed by communications director Steven Cheung.
- Multiple outlets picked up the story before any official announcement, and some later updated coverage as the White House disputed the reporting.
- The episode highlights President Trump’s control over the Kennedy Center and comes as the venue approaches a two‑year closure for renovations starting in July, with Maher and Trump’s fraught relationship as a backdrop.