President Donald Trump’s boo-filled reception at the Kennedy Center’s Les Misérables showing quickly became a meme-fueled spectacle online.
On Wednesday night, Trump made his first public appearance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since firing the majority of the board of directors and naming himself its chairman earlier this year.
However, his arrival didn’t go unnoticed. As he entered with First Lady Melania Trump, a mix of cheers and boos echoed throughout the venue. Although chants of “USA” quickly rose to drown out the jeers, the moment had already been captured on multiple phones.
Videos posted on social media showed audience members reacting loudly, with at least one woman shouting “felon” as Trump waved from the dress circle. Another clip captured someone yelling a vulgar insult near the end of intermission, drawing applause. Several drag queens were also in attendance, staging a quiet protest in response to Trump’s earlier comments about ending drag performances at the center.
Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center
Back in February, Trump dismissed both the president and chairman of the Kennedy Center. He replaced much of the board with political allies who promptly named him chairman. At the time, Trump promised to remove “woke” content and pledged to “make sure it’s good.” His February announcement came alongside a Truth Social post declaring his mission to “make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN.”
Since then, ticket sales have plummeted, and shows like Hamilton have stopped performing. Celebrities such as Issa Rae canceled appearances, citing political interference and a shift away from the Center’s inclusive mission.
Despite the pushback, the event Wednesday night had a distinctly MAGA tone. Trump loyalists, including Ric Grenell, Vice President JD Vance, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, were seen mingling before the curtain rose. Even Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now head of Health and Human Services, was spotted taking selfies with members of the audience.
Trump reportedly has a fondness for Les Misérables and has even played its songs at rallies and the White House Governors Ball in the past. As he told reporters on the red carpet Wednesday night, “We want to bring it back, and we want to bring it back better than ever. It needs a little help from the standpoint of age and fitness.”
Of course, the moment didn’t stay in the theater. Within hours, memes and reactions flooded X, formerly Twitter.
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