US President Donald Trump received a mix of loud cheers and boos on Wednesday night after arriving at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, to attend a performance of the musical Les Misrables. This was Trump’s first public appearance on the show.
The president was accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump. As they entered the presidential box, some in the audience clapped while others loudly booed. The Trump administration has made multiple changes to the Kennedy Centre. It replaced the leadership in order to reshape the centre’s programming for more conservative values.
The president attended the show just days after deploying US Marines and the National Guard to address the ongoing violent protests in Los Angeles following his immigration raids.
“We’re going to make it incredible. We have all the funding,” Trump said after the event. “We raised a lot tonight, and we’ll put in a lot of money to bring it back to the highest level.”
According to Trump and officials at the event, more than $10 million was raised during the evening to support the Kennedy Center. Donors who contributed between $100,000 and $2 million were given access to a reception, premium seating, and a photo opportunity with the president.
TICKET SALES DOWN DESPITE FUNDRAISING BOOST
However, overall ticket and subscription sales have dropped compared to previous years. According to the news agency Reuters, the total subscription revenue for the upcoming season has dropped 36% to $2.8 million. Theatre subscriptions have fallen by 82%.
“Our renewal campaign is just kicking off,” Kim Cooper, senior vice president of marketing, said 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.
Despite the decline in subscriptions, ticket sales for Les Misrables were reportedly strong.
Trump has been vocal about removing drag shows from the Kennedy Center’s lineup, claiming they do not reflect American values. However, upcoming shows still feature characters in drag, including Chicago and Mrs. Doubtfire.
At the event, Trump said he enjoyed Les Misrables, calling it one of his favourites. “I’ve seen it many times,” he said. The musical tells the story of a group of citizens rising up against an unjust government, a theme Trump seemed to appreciate.
Along with the president, Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr were present at the event.
Vice President Vance, like Trump, had earlier faced boos during a previous visit to the Kennedy Centre with his wife.
With inputs from Reuters