A group of drag queens and one drag king attended the same Kennedy Center performance of Les Misérables as Donald and Melania Trump on June 11.
While the president, first lady and other MAGA A-listers received a mixed reception, drag performers Tara Hoot, Mari Con Carne, Ricky Rosé and Vagenesis entered to applause and cheers from the crowd.
The subtle protest came after Trump seized control of the Kennedy Center’s board and named himself chairman in February, insisting that he would specifically ban drag shows from the venue.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump received a mixed reception of cheers and boos when they attended the Kennedy Center’s opening night performance of Les Misérables on Wednesday, June 11.
However, a group of drag performers who arrived ahead of the first couple received applause and admiration from the crowd. Videos captured by fellow attendees showed Tara Hoot, Mari Con Carne, Ricky Rosé and Vagenesis — all in full drag — smiling and waving as they took their seats ahead of the performance.
An Instagram post by Qommittee, a “national network of drag performers fighting hate and censorship,” confirmed that the performers’ attendance was a “protest of Trump’s presence at the show, following his ban of drag at the center.”
“FREE EXPRESSION MEANS EVERYONE. NO EXCEPTIONS,” the post added.
Tara Hoot reflected on the experience in a video following the show, saying, “The staff at the Kennedy Center, they were just delighted to see us walk in.”
“Kudos to all of you bringing art to the world,” the self-proclaimed “campy and kind” queen continued. “Unfortunately, there were some other people there, but I think we brought the audience as much as we possibly could.”
The subtle demonstration comes after Trump seized control of the Kennedy Center board — naming himself chairman and installing special envoy Richard Grenell as the president and interim director — in February, shortly after taking office for his second term.
“I want to make sure it runs properly,” Trump said of his motives at the time. “We don’t need woke at the Kennedy Center, and we don’t need — some of the shows were terrible. They were a disgrace that they were even put on.”
When a reporter asked a follow-up question about whether he had “seen any shows there,” the president admitted, “No.”
“I get reports they were so bad… I didn’t want to go,” he explained. “There was nothing I wanted to see.”
On Monday, Feb. 10, Trump announced Grenell’s appointment on Truth Social, specifically calling out his belief that the Kennedy Center had featured drag performances.
“NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA — ONLY THE BEST. RIC, WELCOME TO SHOW BUSINESS!” Trump wrote.
In another post, Trump again claimed that the performing arts theater had put on “Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth.”
“THIS WILL STOP,” he continued. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
Wednesday’s Les Mis performance — which was also attended by Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance — was always expected to feature a slightly different cast than most Kennedy Center attendees will see during the show’s month-long run.
On May 7, CNN reported that at least 10 of the 12 actors in the musical were not planning to perform on the night the Trumps attended. According to sources who spoke to the outlet, the cast was given the option to not perform, and several ensemble members and starring cast members opted out.
Somewhat ironically, Les Mis is a personal favorite of President Trump. In February, the U.S. Army Chorus performed the musical’s protest anthem, “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” at the 2025 White House Governors Ball.
He also incorporated the song into his 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns, with The Guardian reporting in 2022 that the politician “bizarrely” blasted the song ahead of announcing his 2024 candidacy. Many see the president’s admiration for the song as an odd choice, given that the lyrics are sung from the point of view of French revolutionaries standing up against a powerful and corrupt ruling class.
The lyrics include, “Do you hear the people sing? / Singing the song of angry men?/ It is the music of the people / Who will not be slaves again!”
