After appointing himself chair of the Kennedy Heart and changing its board members with loyalists, President Donald Trump’s first-ever go to to the revered Washington, D.C. cultural heart on Wednesday night time (June 11) was probably not the nice and cozy welcome he anticipated. Taking his seat for the opening night time of Les Misérables, the Associated Press reported that Trump was met with a mixture of cheers and boos, in addition to an sudden parade of drag queens who sashayed previous the primary couple, seemingly in protest of Trump’s earlier vow of “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.”
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As well as, a dozen performers — from main solid members to ensemble performers — planned to sit out the show after being given the choice to not carry out on the night time Trump was in the home to get pleasure from what he has mentioned is considered one of his favourite musicals. The present about nineteenth century France includes a tune Trump has performed at his rallies prior to now, “Do You Hear the Individuals Sing?,” a revolutionary anthem impressed by the 1832 rebel in opposition to King Louis-Phillipe of France.
The tune’s stirring lyrics about rising up in opposition to oppressive regimes has typically been employed at pro-democracy protests across the globe, and on Wednesday one patron reportedly shouted “Viva Los Angeles” as Trump left the presidential field for intermission, a seeming reference to the now almost week-long protests in that metropolis over the administration’s immigration raids.
In his second time period, Trump — who admittedly had by no means attended a efficiency on the Kennedy Heart in his first time period, or ever — has swiftly moved to remake the group in his personal picture. After installing himself as chairman of the Center, Trump additionally positioned quite a few loyalists on the usually non-partisan board and vowed to take away “woke” reveals from the roster. Subsequently, almost two dozen occasions have been canceled or postponed, a quantity out of protest at Trump’s takeover, together with Hamilton, the Nationwide Youth Poet Laureate Commemoration, Saigon Nights, in addition to reveals by Peter Wolf, Low Reduce Connie, Rhiannon Giddens, Issa Rae and plenty of extra.
The AP reported that the present that tackles themes of protest, energy, injustice and poverty featured the sounds of explosions and gunfire, with civilians clashing with troopers on stage at the exact same time that Los Angeles was put beneath curfew after protesters battled with police over immigration raids by ICE for a sixth day following Trump’s call-up of Marines and Nationwide Guard troops to quell the protests. “Somebody explain the plot to him,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X.
In March, Vice President J.D. Vance and spouse Usha had been booed after they attended a efficiency by the Nationwide Symphony Orchestra and the AP additionally famous that gross sales of subscription packages have reportedly declined because the Trump makeover. CNN additionally reported that whereas some cheered and clapped for Trump and First Woman Melania Trump as they stood up on the finish of the primary act, one girl within the orchestra part beneath shouted, “Felon, you’re a convicted felon!” to the primary U.S. president to take the workplace after being convicted of a felony. The ladies then added, “Convicted felon, rapist!” earlier than a safety guard appeared to escort her out; Trump was discovered answerable for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023 in a go well with filed by author E. Jean Carroll and in 2024 was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying enterprise data in an try to hide hush cash funds to porn actress Stormy Daniels earlier than the 2016 election.
As well as, as the group awaited Trump’s return to his seat, one other particular person reportedly yelled, “F–ok Trump! to cheers, whereas a supportive patron responded with “We love you.” The president seemingly reacted to the feedback by pumping his first thrice — paying homage to his response after an assassination try final yr in Pennsylvania by which a gunman fired on the then-candidate and nicked his ear.
Take a look at the combined response to Trump’s Kennedy Heart attendance beneath.