The Kennedy Center set the stage for “Les Misérables” on June 11 but the real revolution unfolded in the audience where President Donald Trump was in attendance.
Just days before his 79th birthday, Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump appeared at the Kennedy Center for the performance of “Les Misérables,” a musical that explores themes of injustice, poverty and revolution against a “tyrannical king.”
“I’ve seen it many times, it’s one of my favorites,” Trump said, per Reuters.
“The Kennedy Center is making a comeback. It had been neglected, but we’re reclaiming it and restoring it to greatness,” the President declared.
His appearance marks his first visit to the venue since he controversially dismissed much of its leadership and vowed to eliminate what he referred to as “woke” programming.
“NO MORE DRAG SHOWS OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on February 10.
A Silent Protest Takes the Stage
In the lead-up to the show, CNN confirmed that several cast members of Les Misérables planned to quietly boycott the performance in protest of former President Trump’s attendance. The production reportedly allowed cast members to sit out that evening’s performance, and several key actors both leads and ensemble chose to do just that, creating a subtle yet striking act of dissent.
When asked about the backlash prior to the show, Trump brushed it off: “I couldn’t care less. Honestly, I couldn’t. All I do is run the country well.”
Drag Queens in the Audience
Meanwhile, NPR reported that some audience members donated their seats to drag performers, turning the evening into a bold, high-heeled statement.
“It was protest by taking up space,” said Tara Hoot, one of the queens in attendance. “We wanted to support the artists and bring attention to the drag ban at the Kennedy Center by showing up and being gorgeous.”
Drama Onstage and Off
Tara Hoot and a small group of fellow drag performers took their donated seats courtesy of Trump critics and were welcomed with applause.
Tensions Erupt During Intermission
By the end of Act I, the tension had leapt from the stage to the audience. As the lights came up and the President and First Lady stood in the presidential box, a wave of cheers and claps filled the Kennedy Center quickly joined by something else.
From the orchestra section, a woman shouted, “Felon, you’re a convicted felon!” Then even louder: “Convicted felon, rapist!” Security moved swiftly to escort her out as the crowd turned to watch, stunned.
Suddenly, another voice rang out from elsewhere: “F**k Trump!”
That sparked a flurry of reactions wild applause from some, counter-cries of “We love you!” from others, and chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!” bouncing across the hall.
In true rally fashion, Trump raised his fist three times in defiance an unmistakable echo of the gesture he made after surviving an assassination attempt last year, where he famously yelled, “Fight, fight, fight!”
A Night of Surreal Symbolism
Clips of the chaotic moment quickly went viral, with users calling it “wildly ironic” that Trump chose to attend Les Misérables a musical centered on the oppressed rising up against authority on the same day he deployed the National Guard to suppress anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles.
“Someone explain the plot to him,” joked California Governor Gavin Newsom on X, posting alongside a headline that read: “Trump attends ‘Les Misérables’ premiere as protests persist across the country.”
Another viral comment summed up the mood: “Trump at the Kennedy Center watching a rebellion against a tyrant… you can’t make this up. The satire writes itself.”
“There were definitely more boos than cheers. Wait until he realizes what Les Misérables is actually about,” one user posted.
Social media lit up with reactions to the mixed reception at the Kennedy Center.
“In a truly humiliating moment, Donald Trump was just booed relentlessly,” wrote one user alongside a clip of the crowd. “Gotta love it.”
“It’s tough for MAGA minds to grasp this, but… a lot of people really do hate Trump,” another commented, while someone else bluntly added, “Should’ve been all boos.”
