Donald and Melania Trump Booed at Their First Kennedy Center Show

Published: June 12, 2025

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump received a mixed reaction at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, June 11, as they attended the opening night performance of the musical Les Misérables. Several lead actors announced in advance that they would be protesting the performance by not taking the stage, citing President Trump's hostile takeover of the Kennedy Center earlier this year.

The president and first lady were met with a mix of boos and applause as they walked out, as seen in videos posted to X. Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, were also in attendance at the performance.

The Les Mis performance was always expected to feature a slightly different cast than most attendees will see during the show's month-long run. According to sources, at least 10 of the 12 actors in the musical were not planning to perform on the night the Trumps attended.

The protest came after the president installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center and purged most of its so-called "woke" leadership, installing a new board of conservative supporters in their place. He also appointed Richard Grenell, a member of his administration, as the Center's president and interim director.

In a statement at the time the protest was announced, Grenell said, "The Kennedy Center will no longer fund intolerance. Any performer who isn't professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won't be welcomed."

President Trump has proven himself to be a Les Mis fan in the past. In February, the U.S. Army Chorus performed the musical's protest anthem, "Do You Hear the People Sing?", at the 2025 White House Governors Ball.

He also incorporated the song into his 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns, with The Guardian reporting in 2022 that the politician "bizarrely" blasted the song ahead of announcing his 2024 candidacy. Many see the president's admiration for the song as an odd choice, given that the lyrics are sung from the point of view of French revolutionaries standing up against a powerful and corrupt ruling class.