Kennedy Center Raises $10 Million At Star-Studded ‘Les Miserables’ Premiere

WASHINGTON—The Kennedy Center raised $10 million with Thursday evening’s premiere of “Les Misérables,” a star-studded event attended by President Donald Trump and several top government officials.

“We’re going to make it incredible,” Trump said of the Kennedy Center as he walked the red carpet with First Lady Melania Trump. “We have all the funding. We raised a lot tonight, and we’ll put in a lot of money to bring it back to the highest level.” Trump also noted that he and the First Lady “love Les Mis,” telling The Daily Wire it was impossible for him to choose a favorite song.

“I love Les Mis. We’ve seen it many times.”@MaryMargOlohan asks President Trump his thoughts on the iconic musical during the Kennedy Center’s production of ‘Les Misérables.’ pic.twitter.com/ijwkfeyOgA

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 12, 2025

“We raised a little more than $10 million, which is pretty remarkable,” Kennedy Center Executive Director Ric Grenell told reporters before noting that he hoped to raise even more money in the future. Grenell also said that the Kennedy Center is “an organization that needs the money right now,” a reference to the performing arts venue’s recent financial troubles.

The Daily Wire previously reported that The Kennedy Center was $40 million in debt, and that previous leadership had fabricated financials in order to cover massive deficit spending. Grenell touched on the issue Thursday evening, saying “the people who understand finances know that you can’t pay staff with debt reserves and pretend like that’s the right thing to do.”

Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance also walked the red carpet, the former laughing when asked by The Daily Wire if California Governor Gavin Newsom was “trying to get arrested” by defying the White House in Los Angeles.

“I think probably,” Vance said. “It would probably help his 2028 Democratic primary prospects, and that’s all he seems to think about, is politics.”

.@MaryMargOlohan: “Do you think that Gavin Newsom wants to be arrested?”@JDVance: “It would probably help his 2028 Democratic primary prospects… But I really would love for Gavin Newsom just to do his job.”pic.twitter.com/VjWpxurJ92

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 12, 2025

“But I really would love for Gavin Newsom just to do his job,” Vance added.

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski demurred when asked about Newsom, but noted that “the last member of Congress who said she wanted to be arrested has now been indicted by a jury of her peers in New Jersey, I don’t think it’s as much fun as they thought it was going to be,” a reference to New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver.

.@MaryMargOlohan: “Do you think [Newsom] wants to be arrested?@CLewandowski_: “The last member of Congress who said she wanted to be arrested has now been indicted by a jury of her peers in New Jersey, I don’t think it’s as much fun as they thought it was going to be.” pic.twitter.com/Un4nrbRp2w

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 12, 2025

Also in attendance were Attorney General Pam Bondi and Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Lindsey Graham (R-GA), who told The Daily Wire that his favorite song from the show was “the storming of the barricades,” likely a reference to “Do You Hear The People Sing?”

RFK Jr. and Cheryl Hines are here. The HHS Secretary defends shutting down a major vaccine advisory committee, saying the panelists had financial conflicts of interest. pic.twitter.com/mWPOEWE5Yh

— Tim Rice (@timerice1) June 11, 2025

Some audience members booed the president as he entered the theater, and members reportedly chose not to perform in order to boycott Trump. Asked about the boycotts by a reporter on the red carpet, Trump was unfazed.

“I couldn’t care less,” the president said. “All I do is run the country well.”