JD Vance Booed at Kennedy Center Concert Amid Trump Takeover

Image via Maxim Elramsisy / Shutterstock

Vice President JD Vance’s first visit to the Kennedy Center since President Trump’s controversial overhaul of the institution was met with resounding boos from the audience. Attending a National Symphony Orchestra concert with his wife, Usha Vance, the vice president was greeted with a loud wave of disapproval as they took their seats in the box tier. The reaction lasted about 30 seconds, according to attendees and videos circulating on social media.

The backlash comes after Trump removed Biden-era appointees from the Kennedy Center’s board and installed himself as chairman, drawing criticism from the arts community. Trump, who previously skipped Kennedy Center Honors ceremonies during his presidency, has claimed the institution had become “too wokey.”

Vance and his wife remained for the entire concert, which featured performances of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 2 and Stravinsky’s Petrushka. The event started 20 minutes late due to increased security measures.

In response to the public reaction, Richard Grenell, the new Kennedy Center president appointed by Trump, urged for tolerance, stating that the venue should be a place for all political views. Meanwhile, Trump’s shake-up has already led to high-profile departures, with artists such as Issa Rae and Rhiannon Giddens withdrawing from planned appearances and Hamilton canceling its 2025 tour stop.

With uncertainty surrounding Trump’s vision for the Kennedy Center, his appointees have hinted at changes to programming, including a “big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.” How these shifts will reshape the institution remains to be seen.