Canceled Kennedy Center Shows, 1st 6 months of Trump Taking the Center Over.

Michael and Sarah Walker

Canceled Kennedy Center Shows, 1st 6 months of Trump Taking the Center Over.

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Since President Donald Trump took over as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in February 2025, at least 26 shows have been canceled or postponed, as reported by the Kennedy Center in a statement released on March 7, 2025. This list, described as a “complete account of program cancellations over the last six months,” includes 15 cancellations attributed to reasons unrelated to illness, availability, sales, or finances, with several artists explicitly citing Trump’s takeover as their reason for pulling out. Notable cancellations include:

• Hamilton, a Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, canceled its 2026 run due to the “new spirit of partisanship” at the center.

• Eureka Day, a play about the anti-vaxx movement, canceled due to “financial circumstances” shortly after Trump’s appointment.

• Finn, a children’s musical with an LGBTQ+ subtext, canceled for financial reasons.

• A Peacock Among Pigeons, a National Symphony Orchestra concert featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., removed from the schedule during World Pride 2025, listed as a financial decision.

• An Evening with Issa Rae, a sold-out show canceled by the actress citing an “infringement on the values” of the institution.

• Low Cut Connie, a rock band, canceled their March 19, 2025, performance in protest of Trump’s leadership.

• Fellow Travelers, an opera about gay government workers, withdrawn from the 2025–26 Washington National Opera season due to the takeover.

• Les Misérables, where 10 to 12 performers boycotted a July 11, 2025, performance tied to a Trump fundraiser.

• International Pride Orchestra’s Pride Celebration Concert, scheduled for June 4, 2025, canceled after Trump’s comments against drag shows.

• Performances by artists like Louise Penny, Amanda Rheaume, Rhiannon Giddens, Peter Wolf, and Christian Tetzlaff, who cited ideological conflicts or Trump’s leadership as reasons for canceling.

The Kennedy Center’s statement claims cancellations since February 12, 2025, were due to low ticket sales or artist availability, but artists like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Issa Rae, and others explicitly protested Trump’s takeover, suggesting a mix of financial and political motivations. The exact number may vary slightly as some cancellations, like those by Ben Folds or Renée Fleming, involved resignations rather than specific show cancellations, and others may not be fully documented.

The Kennedy Center was one of the first things Trump attacked after taking office in second term, This begs the question, why? Is his fragile ego that needy, was he trying to impress Melania, or more likely, he just doesn’t care what he corrupts. Where ever he goes, he leaves an orange stain. Hopefully this can be cleaned after he is gone.