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Trump, Melania attend Les Misérables at Kennedy Center for date night with a savage message for actors who boycott

June 12, 2025 | | Print Article

President Donald Trump snapped when pressed by a reporter Wednesday night about the Kennedy Center actors who were reportedly boycotting his appearance at the theater.

“I couldn’t care less,” he said. “Honestly, I couldn’t. All I do is run the country well. There’s no inflation. People are happy. People are wealthy. The country is getting back to strength again. That’s what I care about.”

He made the remarks as he and his wife arrived at the Kennedy Center to watch a performance of “Les Misérables,” whose actors were granted the option to boycott the show, according to a CNN report filed last month.

“At least 10 to 12 performers in Les Mis are planning to sit out the show on June 11, the night that Trump attends the Kennedy Center,” CNN reported at the time, citing insider sources.

“The cast was given the option to not perform the night Trump will be in the audience, and both major cast members and members of the ensemble are among those sitting out,” the report continued.

But according to another source who’s close with interim Kennedy Center Executive Director Richard Grenell, CNN’s story was bull, as usual.

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“It was a fake news from CNN from the beginning – all anonymous sources,” the also anonymous source told the Daily Mail.

Grenell, for his part, made it clear to the New York Times last month that any actor caught boycotting would be in deep trouble.

“Any performer who isn’t professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won’t be welcomed,” he said.

“In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn’t hire—and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience,” he added.

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Trump’s arrival at the Kennedy Center meanwhile was met with loud cheers, some boos, and a whole lot of “USA!”

The Trumps were joined at the Kennedy Center by Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha.

Vance advertised his arrival at the play with a funny tweet.

Look:

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The play was also attended by a group of drag queens who “showed up to the venue in protest to the president’s pledge to put a stop to drag shows there,” according to NPR.

“Some attendees who no longer wanted their tickets donated theirs to the group, according to Qommittee, a network of drag performers, fans and allies,” NPR noted.

One of Qommittee’s performers, Vagenesis, told NPR that he “couldn’t deny” speaking out.

“Theater is supposed to be a place of community, a place of storytelling, a place of celebration, joy, catharsis, and it should be open and available to all,” he said.

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“I hope it [the drag queens appearing at the show] delivers the message that we’re not backing down. We’re not allowing this kind of bigotry and erasure to stop us from doing what we want to do, or from existing,” he added.

All this comes after the president took over the Kennedy Center by firing its entire board, naming himself chairman, and installing Grenell as executive director.

“Trump fired President Deborah Rutter, board chair David Rubenstein, and board members who had been appointed by President Joe Biden,”  NPR noted. “Trump also gave several people in his circle board seats, including second lady Usha Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi.”

“The programming [at the center] was out of control with rampant political propaganda, DEI, and inappropriate shows,” Trump reportedly said at a recent dinner for the center’s new board.

Vivek Saxena
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