WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump encountered a divided audience reaction Wednesday night at the Kennedy Center’s opening performance of “Les Misérables,” drawing both boos and cheers as he attended his first show at the venerable performing arts institution since his election while continuing his controversial overhaul of the center.
The drama unfolding in the audience rivaled the theatrical spectacle on stage as Trump took his seat alongside first lady Melania Trump for the three-hour musical production. Near the end of intermission, someone loudly cursed the president’s name, drawing applause from portions of the crowd. Several drag queens attended the performance as a form of protest against Trump’s previous complaints that the Kennedy Center had hosted too many drag shows.
Despite the vocal opposition, the evening maintained what observers described as a “MAGA-does-Broadway” atmosphere. Ric Grenell, Trump’s appointed interim leader of the Kennedy Center, attended alongside Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha. Before the curtain rose, Attorney General Pam Bondi mingled with guests while Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posed for selfies with attendees. Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who has advised Trump on personnel decisions, posted video from her seat near the stage.
Trump and the first lady walked the red carpet upon arrival at the Kennedy Center, which the president has been systematically remaking in his image while removing what he characterizes as liberal ideology from its programming.
“We want to bring it back, and we want to bring it back better than ever,” Trump stated regarding his vision for the institution.
The Republican president has expressed particular fondness for “Les Misérables,” the sprawling musical set in 19th-century France, occasionally incorporating its songs into his political events. One featured song, “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” serves as a revolutionary rallying cry inspired by the 1832 rebellion against the French monarchy.
The evening’s production featured traditional singing and dancing accompanied by sounds of explosions and gunfire as protesters and soldiers clashed on stage. For Trump critics, the theatrical violence created an unsettling parallel to current events in Los Angeles, where the president has deployed National Guard troops in response to protests over his deportation policies.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, responded to Trump’s attendance on social media, writing “Someone explain the plot to him.”
Audience members displayed varying reactions to the president’s presence. Terry Gee, a bartender who purchased his ticket in November, expressed indifference to Trump’s attendance. Attending his sixth performance of “Les Misérables,” Gee stated, “I’m going to enjoy the show regardless.”
Hannah Watkins, a nurse, learned of Trump’s planned attendance only when the Kennedy Center distributed information about enhanced security measures. “I’ve seen a lot of famous people so far, which is exciting,” said Watkins, who secured a position near the VIP entrance with her mother. “Honestly, we just like ‘Les Mis’ and are excited to be here.”
Historically, presidential involvement in Kennedy Center affairs remained limited to appointing board trustees and attending annual honors program tapings. However, following his January return to office, Trump stunned the arts community by dismissing the center’s longtime director and board, replacing them with loyalists who subsequently named him chairman. Trump has promised comprehensive overhauls of programming, management, and physical appearance as part of his effort to influence the national arts landscape.
These changes have generated significant opposition among patrons and performers. In March, audiences booed the Vances when they attended a National Symphony Orchestra performance in upper-level seats. Trump has appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board alongside Bondi, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham.
Subscription package sales have reportedly declined since Trump’s takeover, while several touring productions, including “Hamilton,” have canceled planned Kennedy Center runs. Actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens withdrew from scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned their positions.
Understudies may have performed certain roles Wednesday night due to boycotts by regular “Les Misérables” cast members, though Trump dismissed concerns about performer absences, stating “I couldn’t care less.”
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has adopted an increasingly aggressive stance toward arts institutions. The administration has moved to cancel millions of dollars in previously awarded federal humanities grants to arts and culture organizations, while Trump’s budget blueprint proposes eliminating both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Trump has also targeted Smithsonian museums through executive orders restricting funding and attempts to remove the National Portrait Gallery director. The president has characterized previous Kennedy Center programming as “out of control with rampant political propaganda,” citing what he termed “some very inappropriate shows,” including a “Marxist anti-police performance” and “lesbian-only Shakespeare.”
The Kennedy Center, supported through government funding and private donations, opened in 1971 and has traditionally maintained an apolitical celebration of the arts. The institution originated in the late 1950s during Republican President Dwight Eisenhower’s administration, which supported Democratic-led Congressional legislation calling for a National Culture Center. Democratic President John F. Kennedy launched fundraising initiatives in the early 1960s, and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed 1964 legislation renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, honoring Kennedy following his 1963 assassination.
