Trump’s Strange Reply on Actors Boycotting His Kennedy Center Attendance Sparks Outrage
When public figures show up at cultural events, they rarely do so quietly. And when that public figure is Donald Trump, attention is guaranteed, whether he likes it or not.
On Wednesday night (June 11), Trump attended a performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. But the event wasn’t just about theatre. In the days leading up to the show, talk of boycotts and possible protests started circulating online, and Trump’s presence added another layer of political tension to the evening.
Earlier this year, Trump aimed at the Kennedy Center’s programming, specifically drag shows and diversity efforts. In a February post, he declared, “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.”
He later followed up at a Kennedy Center Board dinner, saying the venue’s events had become overly political and inappropriate: “The programming was out of control with rampant political propaganda, [diversity, equity and inclusion] and inappropriate shows.”
That stance didn’t sit well with everyone. Rumors swirled that some performers from the Les Misérables cast were considering walking off stage in protest. Outside the theater, four drag artists arrived to make a statement of their own, not with signs or chants, but by simply being visible in a space that Trump had publicly tried to shut down to them.
Donald Trump faced boycotts and protests after pledging to ban drag shows at the Kennedy Center theatre.
Inside, reporters asked Trump if he was aware of the controversy or if he cared about the alleged boycotts. His response was characteristically dismissive and self-congratulatory.
“I couldn’t care less, honestly, I couldn’t,” Trump said. “All I do is run the country well.”
From there, he pivoted to familiar talking points.
“The economic numbers, you saw them today, they are setting records,” he claimed. “We took 88 billion dollars in tariffs in two months, far beyond what anyone expected.”
He also denied the existence of inflation and painted a rosy picture of the country:
“There is no inflation, people are happy, people are wealthy, the country is getting back to strength again, that is what I care about.”
Then, without transition, he referenced Los Angeles.
“And we are going to have a safe country, we are not going to have what would have happened in Los Angeles. Remember, if I wasn’t there, if I didn’t act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now.”
"@realDonaldTrump gets cheered and booed at the Kennedy Center."
Social media users noted that Trump seemed to be masking his frustration.
The comments didn’t go unnoticed. Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason noted that Trump received a mix of cheers and boos during the event.
On social media, reactions to Trump’s appearance and his statements poured in quickly. Some called his answers bizarre, others speculated he was covering up irritation with bravado.
One post read: “When you have to tell people you ‘run the country well’ …you’re not running the country well.”
Another user wrote: “Once he gets hold of the actors’ names who plan on boycotting, he’ll mention them non-stop in his 3 a.m. posts for weeks. Let’s see ... the insults will include ‘overrated’, ‘fake’, ‘not good looking’, ‘mediocre’, ‘untalented’.”
Others interpreted Trump’s deflections as a sign of weakness rather than strength.
“Trump’s indifference is just another sign he’s losing grip on politics, on reality,” one person commented.
And one summed it up this way: “When he finds out who boycotts, he’ll attack them on social media.”
Despite the controversy - or perhaps because of it - Trump remained front and center during the evening. But if he hoped to make his visit look like business as usual, the crowd reactions, rumors of backstage tensions, and online commentary suggested otherwise.
Even at the theatre, the politics didn’t stay outside the door.
