Several drag queens were in the crowd, their presence a protest against Trump’s complaints that the Kennedy Center had hosted too many drag shows in the past.
Ric Grenell, the Trump-appointed interim leader of the Kennedy Center, was there, as were Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha.
Trump walked the red carpet with the first lady when they arrived at the Kennedy Center, which he’s been remaking in his image while excising what he describes as liberal ideology.
Trump appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board along with Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, among other supporters.
Actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned.
Associated Press, by DARLENE SUPERVILLE and CHRIS MEGERIAN.
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump cements his hold on the storied performing arts institution, the drama in the audience on Wednesday rivaled the spectacle on stage at the Kennedy Center, where he attended the opening night of “Les Misérables.”.
An outburst of profanity near the end of the intermission drew cheers. The crowd included a number of drag queens, who were there in protest of Trump’s claims that the Kennedy Center had previously hosted an excessive number of drag performances.
In spite of the condemnation, the event had a Broadway vibe to it. Along with Vice President JD Vance and his spouse, Usha, the Trump-appointed acting head of the Kennedy Center, Ric Grenell, was present. Attorney General Pam Bondi spoke with guests and Robert F. Kennedy, the secretary of health and human services, prior to the start of the show. Kennedy Jr. captured selfies. Posting a video from a seat close to the stage was conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who has counseled Trump on hiring decisions.
When they arrived at the Kennedy Center, which he has been remaking in his image while removing what he claims is liberal ideology, Trump and the first lady walked the red carpet together.
“We want it back, and we want it back better than before,” Trump declared.
At his events, the Republican president has occasionally performed songs from “Les Misérables,” a sprawling musical set in 19th-century France, which he particularly enjoys. “Do You Hear the People Sing?” is a revolutionary rallying cry that was sparked by the uprising against the French king in 1832.
During the three-hour show, which included singing and dancing, the theater was filled with the sounds of gunfire and explosions as protesters and soldiers engaged in combat on stage. Critics of Trump saw it as a chilling mirror of events in Los Angeles, where Trump has sent out National Guard troops to quell demonstrations against his deportation policies.
“He needs someone to tell him the story,” California Gov. A Democrat named Gavin Newsom posted on social media.
Bartender Terry Gee purchased his ticket for the performance in November and was unaffected by Trump’s attendance. Despite the fact that this is his sixth viewing of “Les Misérables,” he declared, “I will still enjoy the show.”. “”.
Only when the Kennedy Center sent out information about increased security did nurse Hannah Watkins find out that Trump would be present, so she looked up the information online.
“It’s exciting to see so many famous people,” Watkins, who had reserved a space close to the VIP entrance with her mother, said. We are thrilled to be here and, to be honest, we just enjoy “Les Mis.”. “”.
Prior to Trump, the only presidential involvement in the Kennedy Center’s operations was the appointment of trustees and the attendance at the taping of the organization’s fall annual honors program.
Trump shocked the arts community, however, when he retook office in January and replaced the Kennedy Center’s longtime director and board with supporters, who then appointed him chairman. In an attempt to leave his mark on the country’s arts landscape, Trump pledged to restructure its management, programming, and even appearance.
His recent actions have angered some of the performers and patrons of the center.
The Vances were jeered by the crowd in March after sneaking into the upper-level seats to listen to the National Symphony Orchestra. Together with Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, and other supporters, Trump named Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board.
Due to boycotts by the cast of “Les Misérables,” understudies may have played some parts on Wednesday night, but Trump claimed he wasn’t bothered by anyone missing the show.
He declared, “I couldn’t care less.”.
Trump’s attitude toward the arts has become more assertive since he returned to the White House in January. Trump’s budget plan called for doing away with the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the White House has taken action to revoke millions of dollars in federal humanities grants that had previously been given to organizations involved in the arts and culture.
Additionally, Trump has taken aim at Smithsonian museums by attempting to remove the director of the National Portrait Gallery and issuing executive orders that limit their funding.
The president said that previous Kennedy Center programming was “out of control with rampant political propaganda” and included “some very inappropriate shows,” such as “lesbian-only Shakespeare” and a “Marxist anti-police performance.”. “.”.
Established in 1971 and funded by both public and private contributions, the Kennedy Center has long been regarded as an apolitical celebration of the arts.
It was initially envisioned in the late 1950s under Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who supported a National Culture Center bill from the Democratic-led Congress. The early 1960s saw the inauguration of Democratic President John F. President Kennedy started a campaign to raise money, and President Lyndon B. A 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Johnson signed into law. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Arts. The previous year, Kennedy was assassinated.
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