Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the new U.S. health secretary, has promised to address an epidemic of chronic illness with President Donald Trump's backing, but his broad agenda from making food healthier to studying vaccines may clash with government spending cuts.

The president solidified his grip on the performing arts complex as the center’s longtime president, Deborah F. Rutter, was fired.

Until a week ago, it was unthinkable that the president of the United States would take direct control of the nonpartisan Kennedy Center for the Arts, fire board members not deemed personally loyal to him,