Arts & Entertainment
Caitlyn Jenner stands up for Trump on ‘The View’
the transgender activist admits she has met with the presidential administration
(Screenshot via YouTube.)
Caitlyn Jenner appeared as a guest panelist on Thursday’s episode of “The View” and defended the Trump administration’s first few months in office.
When discussing Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer during the election, Jenner chalked it up to the “dirty business” of politics.
“Politics is a dirty business. We could go over a million things that we don’t need to go over here because everybody knows about it,” Jenner says. “Hillary Clinton was out there looking for dirt on Trump. Trump was looking for dirt on Hillary. These are smear campaigns, y’know. 70 to 80%, it seems like, of the ads that are out there are not of what they’re going to do, it’s smearing the other person. So everybody’s looking for dirt.”
When it was brought up that Trump was possibly using Russia connections to make money, Jenner insisted that wasn’t the case and that Trump deserved a chance to prove himself.
“We have to get somebody in there who can straighten things out,” Jenner continued. “He’s shaken a lot of things up since he’s been in there and I think from that standpoint, that’s good. Let’s give the guy some time. What’s it been? Six months? In three and a half years form now, we get to decide again. And f it didn’t work out, let’s get him out and get somebody else in. If not, if by that time he’s lowered taxes, he’s helped the economy, he’s created jobs, he’s done all these things that are good for the country, then we can re-elect him.”
Jenner also revealed she has been speaking about LGBT issues with members of the Trump administration but remained tight-lipped about exactly who she has spoken with.
“I can’t talk about it,” Jenner says. “I try to keep it quiet.”
However, she did reveal that she has met with the Department of Education. She also has plans to meet with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley to discuss international LGBT issues.
“We have our problems here and our issues here, but if you look on an international basis, they’d chop my head off in some countries,” Jenner says.
Watch Jenner’s appearance on “The View” below.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
a&e features
Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
PHOTOS: Freddie’s Follies
Imperial Court of Washington drag group has ‘dissolved’
What to watch for in 2026: midterms, Supreme Court, and more
A reminder that Jan. 6 was ‘textbook terrorism’
Claudia López criticizes Trump over threats against Colombian president
D.C.’s 10 best theater productions of 2025
A look back at the best books of 2025
The year in photos
Safer Ways to Pay for Online Performances and Queer Events
