Donald Trump Attends Les Misérables—and the Drama Wasn’t Just Onstage
Tensions ran high at the Kennedy Center on June 11, when former President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump made a surprise appearance at a performance of Les Misérables. Just days before his 79th birthday, Trump told reporters the musical was one of his favorites. “I’ve seen it many times,” he said. “It’s one of my favorites.”
He also used the moment to praise what he described as efforts to “revive” the Kennedy Center, stating, “It was not properly taken care of, and we’re going to turn it back into something great.”
This was Trump’s first visit to the venue since he made headlines for calling for changes in its programming, vowing earlier this year on social media to end what he labeled “anti-American propaganda.”
But his presence at the show didn’t go unnoticed—or unchallenged. According to CNN, several cast members reportedly chose not to perform that night in protest. Others in the audience made quiet but powerful statements. Some Trump critics donated their seats to drag performers as a symbolic response to recent debates over drag bans. One performer told NPR, “It was protest by presence. We were there to be seen, not to disrupt.”
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