By NIKKI SCHWAB, CHIEF CAMPAIGN CORRESPONDENT FOR DAILYMAIL.COM AT THE KENNEDY CENTER
President Donald Trump entered the Kennedy Middle Wednesday night time with first woman Melania Trump at his aspect and struck a defiant tone when requested about solid members from Les Miserables boycotting his look.
‘I could not care much less. Truthfully, I could not,’ mentioned Trump. ‘All I do is run the nation properly.’
There have been experiences forward of Wednesday night time’s opener that the Trumps, together with Vice President J.D. Vance and spouse Usha, would see the storied musical carried out by some understudies.
A supply near interim Kennedy Middle govt director Richard Grenell pushed again on that reporting to the Each day Mail: ‘It was a pretend information from CNN from the start – all nameless sources.’
There had additionally been threats that drag queens might interrupt and heckle the president throughout the efficiency. A number of drag queens have been gathered a block away from the Kennedy Middle because the presidential motorcade drove by.
When the Trumps did enter the theater, there have been cheers and applause and a USA chant – and in addition some boos.
The president took over the John F. Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts in February in an unprecedented means.
Simply 19 days into his second time period, Trump introduced that he can be firing the board of the Kennedy Middle – named for the late Democratic president – and naming himself chairman.
President Donald Trump (left) strolling the crimson carpet with first woman Melania Trump (proper) on the Kennedy Middle Wednesday night time. He struck a defiant tone when requested about a few of Les Miserables’ solid member boycotting his look
President Donald Trump (left) strolling the crimson carpet with first woman Melania Trump (proper) on the Kennedy Middle Wednesday night time for the opening night time efficiency of Les Miserables
Trump ally, GOP Rep. Jim Jordan (middle proper) and his spouse Polly (proper) stroll previous drag queens (from left) Tara Hoot, Ricky Rosa, Vagenesis and Maria Con Carne who have been gathered exterior the Kennedy Middle as President Donald Trump’s motorcade rolled by
Since then, he is made Richard Grenell, who served because the performing Director of Nationwide Intelligence throughout Trump’s first time period, interim Kennedy Middle govt director. Grenell additionally serves as a envoy for particular missions.
Trump applauded Grenell’s tenure to date – with the 2025–2026 season closely that includes musicals together with Les Miserables, Chicago, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Mrs. Doubtfire, Monty Python’s Spamalot and Again to the Future: The Musical.
Quite a few artists and celebrities who had been related to the Kennedy Middle lower ties, together with singer and piano participant Ben Folds, Gray’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and Insecure star Issa Rae.
Quite a few LGBTQ packages have been moved away from the Kennedy Middle, together with occasions related to this month’s WorldPride.
Moreover a efficiency by the Homosexual Males’s Refrain of Washington D.C. for Pleasure Month was cancelled by the Kennedy Middle.
The kids’s musical Finn, which offers with LGBTQ themes, was additionally nixed.
These adjustments prompted a handful of drag queens to protest Wednesday night time – incomes applause as they settled into their seats contained in the theater.
Drag queen Tara Hoot posted an image from throughout the Kennedy Middle auditorium, noting that she and different drag artists had acquired applause after they entered
Melania Trump (proper) poses alongside her husband President Donald Trump (left) on the crimson carpet. The president mentioned the primary theater manufacturing he need to see was ‘Cats’ whereas the primary woman mentioned hers was ‘Phantom of the Opera’
First woman Melania Trump wore a pair of sneakers that includes combined metallics together with a black robe to the opening night time of Les Miserables on the Kennedy Middle in Washington, D.C.
Second woman Usha Vance (left) and her husband, Vice President J.D. Vance (proper) arrive on the Kennedy Middle Wednesday night time for the opener of Les Miserables
Actress Cheryl Hines (left) and Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (proper) stroll the crimson carpet on the opening night time of Les Miserables on the Kennedy Middle
‘The brand new period right here goes to be one thing,’ Trump mentioned on the crimson carpet, as Grenell stood on the prime. ‘The bones of this facility are actually unbelievable, we’ll make it actually nice.’
Throughout a dinner final month with the brand new Kennedy Middle board members – which now embody Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi, Chief of Employees Susie Wiles and singer Lee Greenwood – Trump went off in regards to the look of the Kennedy Middle’s fashionable addition.
‘It is the final time I am going to take a job with out it,’ the president cracked.
Whereas strolling on the crimson carpet, Trump – a local New Yorker – was requested what play he first noticed in a theater.
‘Nicely a very long time in the past, I might say possibly it was Cats,’ the president answered.
Melania Trump answered that her first present was, ‘Phantom of the Opera.’
Mrs. Trump advised the Each day Mail she was a Les Mis fan.
President Donald Trump (left) holds onto first woman Melania Trump’s (proper) hand as they exit the White Home and journey to the Kennedy Middle Wednesday night time
President Donald Trump (left) escorting first woman Melania Trump (proper) exterior of the White Home as they set out for the Kennedy Middle
Drag queens Tara Hoot, Maria Con Carne, Ricky Rosé and Vagenesis stroll to the Kennedy Middle forward of Wednesday night time’s programming attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance
Tara Hoot, Maria Con Carne, Ricky Rosé and Vagenesis stroll the steps of the Kennedy Middle as they protested President Donald Trump’s look on the performing arts venue on Wednesday, the opening night time of Les Miserables
‘I’m, thanks.’
The president additionally mentioned he is seen the French Revolution-era musical on a number of events.
‘I’ve seen it, we have seen it, a lot of instances, it is implausible. It was nearly our first alternative. That is what we bought and we have got different ones coming, different nice ones coming,’ Trump mentioned.
However when a reporter requested the president whether or not he felt extra in step with Inspector Javert or the previous convict Jean Valjean, he appeared miffed.
‘Oh that is a troublesome one, the final a part of that query, that is robust I feel,’ Trump mentioned laughing. ‘You higher reply that one honey, I do not know.’
Melania Trump did not say.
#Trumps #brutal #message #actors #boycotted #Kennedy #Middle #look #president #Melania #attend #Les #Miserables