donald trump kennedy center les miserables

President Donald Trump was booed while attending a fundraiser for the musical *Les Misérables* at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He arrived with Melania Trump to support the center, but faced a mixed reception of boos and chants of 'U-S-A.' The event followed Trump's controversial takeover of the Kennedy Center, where he fired the board of trustees appointed by Joe Biden and George W. Bush, installed himself as chair, and replaced longtime president Deborah Rutter. Several artists, including Ben Folds, Renée Fleming, Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae, and Rhiannon Giddens, resigned in protest, and the center has seen program cancellations such as *Hamilton* and Pride events.

Rika Nakajima: A New Book of the Dead, Part 3

連載 中島りか 新しい死者の書 第三回

Japanese artist Rika Nakajima reflects on the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, weaving together her own experience running the project space "Datsuisho – (a) place to be naked" in Tokyo's Yanaka district. As the space faced demolition in late 2025, Nakajima draws parallels between the trial's timing and the closure of her venue, recalling earlier events at the space that discussed the state funeral controversy and the cult issues exposed by the assassination. She describes attending the trial in Nara, observing Yamagami's demeanor, and connecting the case to broader themes of political aesthetics, fascism, and the theatricality of the judicial system.

kennedy center adds trump name

The board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted on Thursday to add President Donald Trump's name to the institution, renaming it "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." The vote was described as unanimous by spokeswoman Roma Daravi, but Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio board member, disputed this, claiming she was muted when trying to voice opposition. The move has been met with disapproval from members of the Kennedy family and legal experts who argue it violates a federal stipulation from 1963. The name change has already been reflected on the institution's website and façade, following a year of turmoil that included Trump being booed at a performance and a Washington Post exposé on staff turmoil and declining ticket sales.