Trump to Attend ‘Les Misérables’ After Taking Over Kennedy Center/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump is attending the Kennedy Center’s opening night of Les Misérables after taking over its leadership. He replaced its board and director with loyalists and pledged to strip out “woke” programming. The move has drawn backlash from performers and patrons, with cancellations and protests mounting.
Trump Reshapes Kennedy Center, Attends ‘Les Misérables’ – Quick Looks
- Trump becomes Kennedy Center chairman after firing board and installing allies.
- Attends Les Misérables with First Lady Melania in a sold-out opening night.
- Pushes to remove “woke,” “leftist,” and “politically correct” performances.
- Several high-profile artists and productions cancel appearances in protest.
- Boycotts by cast members may lead to understudies performing tonight.
- Trump-backed board includes JD Vance’s wife, Fox News hosts, and Trump loyalists.
- Subscription sales drop, with audience backlash during previous GOP appearances.
- White House aims to defund National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities.
- Trump pledges $250M in renovations but criticizes past spending on aesthetics.
- Board dinner hosted at the White House in May to strategize control of arts programming.
Trump Targets Cultural Reset at Kennedy Center with ‘Les Misérables’ Premiere – Deep Look
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is making headlines in the cultural sphere again — not for policy, but for art. On Wednesday night, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will attend opening night of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center, the first such event he’s attended as president. But this is no ordinary premiere — it comes just months after Trump took unprecedented control of the nation’s premier performing arts institution.
After retaking office in January 2025, Trump dramatically reshaped the Kennedy Center. Breaking with decades of precedent where presidents took ceremonial roles, Trump fired the longtime director and entire board of trustees. He then appointed a roster of loyalists — from his inner circle and conservative media — and was named chairman himself.
According to White House insiders, Trump’s goal was to “cleanse” the center of what he called “woke” and “Marxist” influences. “The programming has been out of control,” Trump declared at a May board dinner. “Political propaganda masquerading as art has no place at a national institution.”
His attendance at Les Misérables is intended as a cultural statement. The Broadway favorite, set during revolutionary 19th-century France, features themes of rebellion and redemption — ironically echoing the ideological conflict now surrounding the Kennedy Center itself.
Artists Resist, Audiences React
Trump’s cultural coup has not been warmly embraced. Following the board shake-up:
- Subscription sales dropped significantly.
- Touring productions canceled, including the hit musical Hamilton.
- Artists like Issa Rae and Rhiannon Giddens withdrew from scheduled performances.
- High-profile consultants, including Ben Folds and Renée Fleming, resigned in protest.
- Les Misérables cast members signaled boycotts, with understudies likely filling roles Wednesday night.
The unrest isn’t limited to performers. In March, the audience booed Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, during a symphony performance. Trump had appointed Usha to the new board alongside Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Political Theater and Budget Moves
Trump’s plans extend beyond the Kennedy Center. He has proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) — institutions that have supported American culture for decades. He also attempted to remove the director of the National Portrait Gallery and signed orders to restrict Smithsonian funding.
Meanwhile, Trump has earmarked $250 million for renovations to the Kennedy Center, claiming the funds would address years of “neglected” infrastructure. “Where did the money go? It wasn’t spent on the wallpaper,” Trump said during the board meeting tour in March.
Despite heavy criticism, Trump remains committed to what insiders call a “patriotic aesthetic reset” — emphasizing traditional values, military themes, and family-friendly content over “gender theory” and “anti-police messaging.”
Next season, the Kennedy Center will feature musicals like Mrs. Doubtfire, which Trump supports, despite its themes of gender disguise. His administration has not commented on the apparent contradiction with his stance on drag performances.
Historical Irony
The Kennedy Center, opened in 1971, was envisioned as an apolitical celebration of American arts. Though Republican President Eisenhower initiated the bill to establish a National Culture Center, it was Democratic President John F. Kennedy who championed its construction before his assassination. President Lyndon Johnson renamed it in Kennedy’s honor.
Now, a Republican president has made it a stage for ideological transformation.
“It’s the people’s stage,” Trump said recently. “We’re taking it back for the people — for common sense, family values, and American greatness.”
Whether Trump’s opening night at Les Misérables is received with applause or protest remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the curtain has risen on a new act at the Kennedy Center — one far more political than artistic.
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