There’s an old adage in professional wrestling that goes something like this: Whether the fans cheer you passionately or boo you to death, any reaction is better than no reaction.
(The idea being that drawing strong reactions means you are doing something right — or wrong, in your critics’ eyes — as opposed to drawing indifference.)
WWE Hall of Famer and U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as the first lady, seemingly experienced both ends of that dichotomy on Wednesday, while attending the Kennedy Center to watch “Les Misérables.”
As reported by Newsweek, both Donald and Melania Trump were initially met with a chorus of impassioned jeers when the first couple made their Kennedy Center entrance.
That initial response didn’t last especially long, however.
As viral videos showed, the booing soon melted away to a more patriotic response for the commander-in-chief and his wife.
First, the mixed reaction, with some clearly audible booing:
Donald Trump is booed at the Kennedy Center pic.twitter.com/OJYRIoRFQX
— FactPost (@factpostnews) June 12, 2025
Will the country ever be united again?
And then the thunderous chants of “USA” to drown out the negative response:
🚨BREAKING: President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were just welcomed with a POWERFUL applause and USA chant at the Kennedy Center.
The most loved president in American HISTORY!❤️ pic.twitter.com/r2k8W4KPP9
— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) June 12, 2025
It was a surreal scene more befitting WrestleMania than the Kennedy Center, yet these are the sorts of powerful — sometimes violent — emotions Trump has consistently engendered since first going down that gilded escalator in 2015, announcing his candidacy for president.
In fact, Trump didn’t just face some heat from theater-goers. According to the New York Post, several actors of “Les Mis” boycotted the opening night of the French musical as protest against the president.
Despite the apparent venom from both certain cast members and certain parts of the audience, Trump was seemingly unfazed by it all.
When the Post asked the president how he felt about the actors boycotting the play, Trump made clear he was completely unbothered.
“I couldn’t care less,” Trump responded. “All I do is run the country well.”
Of note, a very well-dressed Trump raised a few eyebrows right before the play, as well — though this was a much more serious, ominous matter.
Trump, while he was departing the White House for the Kennedy Center Wednesday evening, was asked by a reporter about what was going on with a recent evacuation order of nonessential personnel at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
“You’ll have to see,” Trump cryptically responded.
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