US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had a mixed welcome ‘boos’ and applause while they appeared at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, on Wednesday evening. The duo was visiting for a show of the classic musical Les Misérables, which was Trump’s first official public visit to the institution for a performance.
As they arrived at the presidential box, audience reaction was immediately split. While some members applauded their welcome, others jeered with loud boos. The incident was caught on camera and soon went viral on social media.
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The visit followed controversy about changes instituted under President Trump at the Kennedy Center. Various leadership posts were rearranged to align the institution’s programming to more conservative ideologies.
Trump spoke to the crowd at the event, stating, “We’re going to make it tremendous. We have all the money. We raised a great deal tonight, and we’ll invest a great deal of money to bring it back to the biggest level.”
The timing of the appearance was significant, occurring days after the deployment of National Guard and U.S. Marines troops in Los Angeles amid violent protests over Trump’s crackdowns on immigration.
The video went viral and attracted a sea of reactions on the internet. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, “It’s difficult for maga brains to get this but…. Trump is very much disliked by a lot of people.” Another wrote, “Trump just got BOOED upon arriving at the Kennedy Center for a performance of Les Misérables. There were some cheers, which is understandable because he and his friends have commandeered the Kennedy Centre and put up their own.”
Another added, “I suppose Trump never imagined that anywhere art and culture are showcased won’t have a Maga crowd.”
The incident also exemplifies the polarised public opinion against the former president, especially in artistic and cultural circles.