President Donald Trump is going to the theatre — taking in “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center after overhauling its leadership as part of his effort to transform some of the nation’s premier institutions.
Trump’s June 11 visit to the Kennedy Center with his wife Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance is his first time attending a show at the iconic arts venue, and comes after he appointed himself chairman and installed allies on the board. Richard Grenell, Trump’s envoy for special missions, is the Kennedy Center’s new president.
The evening show is a rare public appearance for the Trumps in Washington’s night life, and comes after Vance was booed at an earlier Kennedy Center show. The president didn’t attend any Kennedy Center shows during his first term, but has taken a keen interest in the venue since winning back the White House.
Trump’s second term has featured efforts to exert more control over high-profile institutions, from Harvard University to the Smithsonian, as part of a culture war agenda. The president has complained about “woke” programming and “drag shows” at the Kennedy Center.
The fallout from Trump’s moves at the center has been swift. The musical “Hamilton” canceled plans to appear there, staff left and sales of subscriptions and individual tickets for Kennedy Center shows have dropped, two people briefed on the data told Reuters.
Overall year-on-year subscription revenue was down 36% to $2.8 million as of early June for next season, which begins in the autumn, Reuters reported. Theater subscriptions, normally a major revenue driver for the center, were down 82%.
A Kennedy Center official told Reuters the comparisons reflected in those subscription sales were not accurate because the center had launched its subscription renewal campaign later in 2025 than 2024.
“Our renewal campaign is just kicking off,” said Kim Cooper, senior vice president of marketing, in a statement. Cooper also noted the center had launched a new subscription option that allowed customers to “mix and match” genres and said more announcements of shows were coming.
The Kennedy Center depends on revenue from tickets and subscriptions as well as donations.
“President Trump cares deeply about American arts and culture, which is why he is revitalizing historic institutions like the Kennedy Center to their former greatness,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement.
Trump’s appearance at “Les Miserables”, a show about citizens rising up against their government, comes just days after he sent U.S. Marines and the National Guard to quell protests against his administration’s immigration raids in Los Angeles.
Contributing: Reuters, Joey Garrison
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump takes in ‘Les Miserables’ at revamped Kennedy Center
