{"id":2446159,"date":"2025-06-11T20:26:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T00:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-dismisses-cast-boycotts-during-kennedy-center-visit-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T20:27:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T00:27:17","slug":"trump-dismisses-cast-boycotts-during-kennedy-center-visit-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-dismisses-cast-boycotts-during-kennedy-center-visit-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump dismisses cast boycotts during Kennedy Center visit &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-dismisses-cast-boycotts-during-kennedy-center-visit-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2446159&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>During a visit to teh Kennedy Center to see &#8220;Les mis\u00e9rables,&#8221; President Donald Trump publicly dismissed a planned boycott by the play&#8217;s cast, stating, &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t care less.&#8221; Trump was accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump and expressed indifference towards the protest, emphasizing instead his governance&#8217;s achievements, including record <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-strong-majority-of-americans-disapprove-of-bidens-economic-performance\/\" title=\"Poll: Strong Majority Of Americans Disapprove Of Biden\u2019s Economic Performance\">economic numbers<\/a> and a strong recovery for the country. This event marked Trump&#8217;s first attendance at the Kennedy Center since he assumed the role of chairman of its board, a position that has drawn criticism from some artists and Democrats. He praised the production and the leadership of Richard Grenell, whom he appointed as president of the kennedy Center, indicating plans to enhance the institution despite a reported decline in subscription sales since the leadership changes. Additionally, Trump&#8217;s actions have raised concerns, such as his recent firing of the Librarian of Congress, leading to questions about his administration&#8217;s authority over arts and cultural institutions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump dismisses cast boycotts of Les Mis&eacute;rables during Kennedy Center visit<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2145778\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a> dismissed a planned boycott by members of<em> Les Mis&eacute;rables<\/em> on Wednesday evening as he arrived for the play at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kennedy-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kennedy Center<\/a> with first lady <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/melania-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Melania Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t care less, honestly &mdash; I couldn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Trump told reporters on the red carpet when asked about reports of their protest.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3438873\/kennedy-center-trump-protesters-response-the-show-must-go-on\/\">Kennedy Center responds to Trump protesters: &#8216;The show must go on&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3438489\/white-house-slams-stupid-question-trump-peaceful-protests\/\">White House slams &#8216;stupid question&#8217; over Trump&#8217;s support for peaceful protests<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3438379\/army-secretary-shoots-down-claims-that-military-parade-celebrates-trump\/\">Army secretary shoots down claims that military parade celebrates Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;All I do is run the country well,&rdquo; Trump continued. &ldquo;The economic numbers you saw them today, they&rsquo;re setting records. We took $88 billion in tariffs in two months, far beyond what anybody expected. There&rsquo;s no inflation. People are happy. People are wealthy. The country is getting back to strength again.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>This is the president&rsquo;s first show since he named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center Board and installed former administration official Richard Grenell as its president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-selling-of-oil-from-reserve-to-hunter-biden-tied-chinese-firm-impeachable-republicans\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s Selling of Oil From Reserve to Hunter Biden-Tied Chinese Firm \u2018Impeachable\u2019: Republicans\">drawing heavy backlash<\/a> from Democrats and some Hollywood actors. Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jd-vance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">JD Vance<\/a> and second lady <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/usha-vance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Usha Vance<\/a> were also in attendance for the play.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"LIVE REPLAY: Pres. Trump and VP Vance Attend Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center - 6\/11\/25\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X9HuakyLWxY?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Trump appeared unphased by the backlash and instead praised the showing, in which understudies were expected to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >fill vacant cast spots<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is a great production tonight,&rdquo; he told reporters. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to save the Kennedy Center. We&rsquo;re going to make it even better. We have all the funding. We raised a lot tonight.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great honor to be chairman,&rdquo; he added. <\/p>\n<p>The president also heaped praise upon Grenell&rsquo;s leadership of the center, calling him &ldquo;a great guy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Ric is great,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s always done well for me, and the new era right here is going to be something. The bones of this facility are incredible. We&rsquo;re going to make it really great.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The institution has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/entertainment\/theater\/2025\/06\/03\/kennedy-center-subscription-sales-decline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reportedly seen <\/a>subscription numbers decline by 36% since the Trump shake-up, which a spokesperson denied.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-public-arts-takeover-echoes-beyond-the-kennedy-center-stage\/\" title=\"......s public ... takeover echoes beyond the ... stage\">comparison isn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t accurate because of several factors,&rdquo; Kennedy Center Vice President of Marketing Kimberly Cooper said in a statement, explaining that it launched its season ticket renewal campaign later than last year and is offering more flexibility to patrons. &ldquo;We have upcoming announcements across all genres including Broadway Center Stage and new genres that we know will have strong appeal across all audiences.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump said he and the first lady have seen <em>Les Mis&eacute;rables<\/em> multiple times.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s fantastic. I thought it was just about our first choice. That&rsquo;s what we got. And we have others coming. Other great ones are coming,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3433701\/trump-arts-cuts-beyond-kennedy-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">BEYOND THE KENNEDY CENTER: TRUMP STAGES PUBLIC ARTS TAKEOVER IN SECOND TERM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s involvement with the Kennedy Center is not the administration&rsquo;s only effort to reshape the arts. He also fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet at the end of last month, but Sajet&nbsp;is still&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/entertainment\/art\/2025\/06\/04\/national-portrait-gallery-kim-sajet-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"reportedly\">reportedly<\/a> reporting&nbsp;to work, while the administration has canceled National Endowment for the Arts grants as well.<\/p>\n<p>Separately, Trump announced he had fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first woman and first black person to hold the position, prompting some lawmakers to question Trump&rsquo;s authority to fire Hayden given the library falls outside the executive branch.<\/p>\n<p><em>Haisten Willis contributed to this report. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2145778\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2145778\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump brushes off Les Mis\u00e9rables cast boycott at Kennedy Center<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2446160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Donald-Trump-and-Melania-Trump.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[56982,50057,4133,3634,32076],"class_list":["post-2446159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cast-boycotts","tag-kennedy-center","tag-news","tag-trump","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Donald-Trump-and-Melania-Trump.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2446159"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446159\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2446163,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446159\/revisions\/2446163"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2446160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2446159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2446159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2446159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}