Donald Trump and Melania booed during Kennedy Center's opening night of Les Misérables

American President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, were met with boos and applause as they attended the opening night of the extremely popular musical Les Misérables. The event took place on June 11, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. It was not only the Trumps who were met with such ambivalent responses. Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, were also met with boos at the Kennedy Center earlier in March, when they attended a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra.

Donald Trump, who happens to be a fan and admirer of the famous musical Les Misérables, included the musical’s protest anthem “Do You Hear the People Sing?” in both his 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns. Interestingly, the U.S. Army performed the protest song during the White House Governors Ball in February 2025. According to The Guardian, in 2022, Trump unexpectedly played the protest anthem before announcing his 2024 candidacy.

While President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were booed at the Kennedy Center, CNN reported that at least ten of the twelve scheduled performers chose to step back and not perform. The primary reason behind the protest was that Donald Trump, shortly after beginning his second term, appointed himself chairman of the prestigious theater. Not only did he assume leadership of the Kennedy Center, but he also removed several “woke” individuals from leadership positions and installed a new board composed of conservative supporters.

Richard Grenell, a member of his administration, was made the interim director and president of the Kennedy Center. After learning about the protest, Grenell stated:

"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."

He continued:

"In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn’t hire – and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience".

Grenell further added:

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"The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together."

The incident has sparked renewed conversation about the intersection of politics and the arts.

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