President Donald Trump‘s attendance at a performance of Les Miserables at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, during which he received cheers and boos from sections of the crowd, triggered a wave of jokes and memes on social media.
Newsweek contacted the White House and the Kennedy Center for comment on Thursday via email and online inquiry form, respectively, outside regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Following his second presidential inauguration in January, Trump fired most of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, replacing them with allies and appointing himself as chairman.
The president attended the show in Washington, D.C., against a backdrop of days of anti-immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles, some of which have turned violent. In response, his administration ordered 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines against the wishes of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
What To Know
On Wednesday, the president and first lady Melania Trump attended the opening night of Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center. Other prominent figures in attendance included Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Footage of the event shows Trump receiving cheers and boos from the audience. According to CNN, one woman appeared to be escorted out after shouting, “Convicted felon, rapist!”
Les Miserables is a musical adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel of the same name. It is set against the backdrop of the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, a failed insurrection against French King Louis Philippe that was suppressed by government troops.
On X, Newsom shared a screenshot of an NBC News headline about the president’s attendance, writing, “Someone explain the plot to him.” The post has received more than 60,000 likes and 1.9 million views.
User @BlueATLGeorgia, a pro-Democrat account with 39,000 followers, wrote: “Les Misérables is a story of social unrest, especially the June Rebellion, where young idealists rise up against inequality and government oppression.
“Young people fight for justice, calling for reforms and dignity for the poor. The government responds to the rebellion with heavy force, resulting in bloodshed. Sound familiar?”
A Michigan business called That Gay Guy Candle Co. wrote: “Trump’s going to see Les Mis tonight? That’s ironic.”
User @Betches_News told its 25,000 followers, “Trump and Melania watching Les Mis at the Kennedy Center tonight like.” Below the caption, it shared a photo of a shocked woman asking: “Wait. Is this f*****g play about us?”
User @toyjawn1 wrote, “Trump … watching Les Mis … with tickets upwards of the amount of an ordinary person’s whole life wages,” above a GIF of a man rubbing his face with an iron.
During Thursday’s performance, a number of drag performers sat below the presidential box in what one described as a “message of inclusivity.”
Before the performance, Trump attended a VIP reception with paid attendees. He told reporters that $10 million was raised for the Kennedy Center.
What People Are Saying
Kennedy Center Interim Director Richard Grenell, commenting on reports that some actors did not want to perform in front of President Donald Trump, said: “Any performer who isn’t professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won’t be welcomed. 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.”
Darlene Webb, a Trump supporter who was at the performance, told CNN about the jeers: “I just wanted to clap and yell over it, because at this type of performance I don’t think it was good for them to do that, professionally.”
Cara Segur, Webb’s friend, told the outlet: “Seeing some of the actors and actresses, it looked like they were singing at him, instead of just singing to the crowd. And it felt really powerful and I liked it.”
What Happens Next
On Saturday, a military parade is due to take place in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The day also marks Trump’s 79th birthday.
The “No Kings” movement has organized demonstrations against Trump across the U.S., with 1,800 events planned for Saturday.
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