President Donald Trump faced a mixed reception of cheers and boos as he attended the opening night of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, a visit marked by political overtones, a reported cast boycott, and rising tensions over his takeover of the iconic arts institution.When asked on the red carpet about the Kennedy Center performers who planned to walk out rather than perform in his presence, Trump dismissed the question sharply: “I couldn’t care less! Honestly, I couldn’t. All I do is run the country well,” he said, before listing off what he described as his accomplishments. Melania Trump accompanied him at the event.CNN reported that about a dozen cast members were given the option to sit out the show and planned to do so, underscoring the ongoing friction between Trump and the arts community. The discord follows Trump’s February move to install himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center, purge its board, and replace key figures with loyalists. He has also vowed to eliminate what he calls “woke” programming, including events featuring drag performers.The performance of Les Misérables, a show centred on revolution and resistance to authoritarian rule seemed to mirror political divisions outside the theatre. Audience members broke into chants of “USA! USA!” as the presidential couple appeared on the balcony, though boos could also be heard.Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance joined the Trumps at the show, days after the president deployed troops to quell immigration-related protests in Los Angeles. “We’re going to have a safe country… Remember, if I wasn’t there… Los Angeles would have been burning to the ground,” Trump said.Critics including California Governor Gavin Newsom slammed Trump’s actions as “dictatorial.” On social media platform X, Newsom reacted to Trump’s musical appearance with the jab: “Someone explain the plot to him.”Despite the controversy, Trump claimed to be a longtime fan of Les Misérables. “I love the songs, I love the play,” he said in an interview last week. When asked which character he identified with, he deferred to Melania: “That’s a tough one… you better answer that one, honey.”Trump’s control of the Kennedy Center has already sparked resignations from prominent figures like Shonda Rhimes and Ben Folds. The musical Hamilton canceled its run at the venue in protest, which Trump dismissed by saying he had “never liked” the rap-based show.His influence has extended beyond the Kennedy Center to other cultural institutions like the Smithsonian and universities, in what critics see as a broad campaign to reshape American arts and education around conservative values.
