Overview

• At least 10–12 cast members of Les Misérables plan to skip the June 11 performance at the Kennedy Center, where President Trump will be in attendance.
• The cast was given the option not to perform that evening, according to a CNN report citing anonymous sources.
• Trump, who ousted half the Kennedy Center’s board and installed himself as chairman in February, has faced backlash from artists and donors over his leadership changes and programming decisions.
• The boycott follows other protests, including Hamilton’s cancellation of a 2026 engagement and resignations from prominent figures like Shonda Rhimes from the Kennedy Center board.
• Trump is expected to host a Kennedy Center fundraiser the same night as the Les Misérables performance, underscoring the cultural and political divisions surrounding the institution.