Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed chairman of the organization, addressed inquiries regarding professional strikes and political tensions surrounding the effectiveness and the new administration of the arts center during the red carpet event for the Kennedy Center‘s opening day of Les Misérables on Wednesday.
Grenell questioned” Who reported that” when a reporter inquired about stars probably boycotting the event.
Grenell responded,” I think you should be forgiving,” to questions he had asked about what he would state to Democrats who were hesitant to go because of President Donald Trump‘s involvement and the new middle management.
Since Trump replaced the table with his friends and elected Grenell as president in earlier 2025, the Kennedy Center has faced criticism for its continued operations. Some performances, including Hamilton, have been canceled as a result of this reform.
KENNEDY CENTER ADDS FAMILY-FRIENDLY SHOWS TO TRUMP ERA.
Patti LuPone, a Broadway star, told the New Yorker in May that the” Trumpified” Kennedy Center” may get blown up,” which Grenell sharply criticized. He called the remarks” completely undesirable” and called the way Left “violent extremists.”
Despite these conflicts, the first day saw a whole house on the night before. Despite outside forces, a Kennedy Center representative emphasized that” the present must go on,” praising the university’s commitment to its goal.
