Donald Trump's ‘Les Miserables' Appearance Sparks Avalanche of Jokes, Memes
Newsweek contacted the White House and the Kennedy Center for comment on Thursday via email and online inquiry form, respectively, outside regular office hours.
Following his second presidential inauguration in January, Trump fired most of the Kennedy Center's board of trustees, replacing them with allies and appointing himself as chairman.
The president attended the show in Washington, D.C., against a backdrop of days of anti-immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles, some of which have turned violent. In response, his administration ordered 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines against the wishes of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
On Wednesday, the president and first lady Melania Trump attended the opening night of Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center. Other prominent figures in attendance included Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Footage of the event shows Trump receiving cheers and boos from the audience. According to CNN, one woman appeared to be escorted out after shouting, "Convicted felon, rapist!"
Les Miserables is a musical adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel of the same name. It is set against the backdrop of the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, a failed insurrection against French King Louis Philippe that was suppressed by government troops.
On X, Newsom shared a screenshot of an NBC News headline about the president's attendance, writing, "Someone explain the plot to him." The post has received more than 60,000 likes and 1.9 million views.
User @BlueATLGeorgia, a pro-Democrat account with 39,000 followers, wrote: "Les Misérables is a story of social unrest, especially the June Rebellion, where young idealists rise up against inequality and government oppression.
"Young people fight for justice, calling for reforms and dignity for the poor. The government responds to the rebellion with heavy force, resulting in bloodshed. Sound familiar?"
A Michigan business called That Gay Guy Candle Co. wrote: "Trump's going to see Les Mis tonight? That's ironic."
User @Betches_News told its 25,000 followers, "Trump and Melania watching Les Mis at the Kennedy Center tonight like." Below the caption, it shared a photo of a shocked woman asking: "Wait. Is this f*****g play about us?"
User @toyjawn1 wrote, "Trump ... watching Les Mis ... with tickets upwards of the amount of an ordinary person's whole life wages," above a GIF of a man rubbing his face with an iron.
During Thursday's performance, a number of drag performers sat below the presidential box in what one described as a "message of inclusivity."
Before the performance, Trump attended a VIP reception with paid attendees. He told reporters that $10 million was raised for the Kennedy Center.
Kennedy Center Interim Director Richard Grenell, commenting on reports that some actors did not want to perform in front of President Donald Trump,said: "Any performer who isn't professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won't be welcomed. In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn't hire—and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience."
Darlene Webb, a Trump supporter who was at the performance, told CNN about the jeers: "I just wanted to clap and yell over it, because at this type of performance I don't think it was good for them to do that, professionally."
Cara Segur, Webb's friend, told the outlet: "Seeing some of the actors and actresses, it looked like they were singing at him, instead of just singing to the crowd. And it felt really powerful and I liked it."
On Saturday, a military parade is due to take place in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The day also marks Trump's 79th birthday.
The "No Kings" movement has organized demonstrations against Trump across the U.S., with 1,800 events planned for Saturday.
Related Articles
Iran Threatens to Attack U.S. Forces if Israel Strikes Nuclear SitesDonald Trump's Approval Rating Plunges With MillennialsDonald Trump Issues Next Trade Deal Update After ChinaHow Project 2025 Compares With Trump's Los Angeles Response
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
25 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet
PARIS (AP) — China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defense attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes. The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, and included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan's Chinese-made military hardware — particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles — fared against weaponry that India used in airstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for France's defense industry and help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia where China is becoming the dominant regional power. France is fighting what it calls a disinformation campaign against the Rafale Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India acknowledged aircraft losses but didn't say how many. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said that he's seen evidence pointing to just 3 Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries. 'Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,' Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation. French military officials say they haven't been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. Intelligence assessment says Chinese officials lobbied potential clients to ditch French planes But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defense attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defense officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defense attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent the Rafale's appeal, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: 'The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.' In recent years, China has stepped up disinformation campaigns on global social media platforms like X, Instagram or Facebook, using networks of state-sponsored influencers, sites that pose as news organizations, and fake social media accounts to spread narratives from Beijing. France's Defense Ministry said the Rafale was targeted by 'a vast campaign of disinformation" that 'sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.' France considers the jet a 'strategic French offering' "The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the Defense Ministry wrote on its website. 'The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.' Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. China may be hoping to weaken the security relationships that France is building with Asian nations by spreading worries about the equipment it supplies, said Justin Bronk, an airpower specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London. 'From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,' he said.
The Hill
35 minutes ago
- The Hill
French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet
PARIS (AP) — China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defense attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes. The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, and included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan's Chinese-made military hardware — particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles — fared against weaponry that India used in airstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for France's defense industry and help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia where China is becoming the dominant regional power. Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India acknowledged aircraft losses but didn't say how many. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said that he's seen evidence pointing to just 3 Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries. 'Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,' Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation. French military officials say they haven't been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defense attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defense officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defense attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent the Rafale's appeal, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: 'The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.' In recent years, China has stepped up disinformation campaigns on global social media platforms like X, Instagram or Facebook, using networks of state-sponsored influencers, sites that pose as news organizations, and fake social media accounts to spread narratives from Beijing. France's Defense Ministry said the Rafale was targeted by 'a vast campaign of disinformation' that 'sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.' 'The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater,' the Defense Ministry wrote on its website. 'The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.' Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. China may be hoping to weaken the security relationships that France is building with Asian nations by spreading worries about the equipment it supplies, said Justin Bronk, an airpower specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London. 'From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,' he said. 'They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region.'
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Donald Trump Wants to Add His Face to Mount Rushmore. Here's What Its Former Keeper Says About 'the Reality of the Rock'
Experts are weighing in on Donald Trump's open desire to be the fifth face on Mount Rushmore. Trump has floated the idea of adding himself to the famed South Dakota mountainside since his first term, reportedly fancying the idea so much that then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gifted him an $1,100 bust of his face in the lineup during his park visit in 2020. The possibility of a five-face Rushmore has garnered renewed interest among Trump's most loyal supporters since his return to office, culminating in a House bill introduced by Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. But the question of whether the plan could — or should — work still looms. Trump isn't the first proposed addition to the landmark — Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan have also been mentioned in the past as possible additions. But a longstanding argument against any updates to the sculpture, said Dan Wenk, the former superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, is that the piece of art is already finished, visually and rhetorically. According to the National Park Service, the four presidents carved on Mount Rushmore were specifically chosen by sculptor Gutzon Borglum to represent major facets of the United States' first 150 years: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln represent the birth, growth, development and preservation of the country, respectively. 'You wouldn't add another face to Borglum's Mount Rushmore just like you wouldn't add one to da Vinci's 'Last Supper,'' Wenk told The New York Times. 'But I recognize that these types of ideas are no longer off the table.' Another, more practical point is that the mountain may not be able to withstand any further alteration. During the sculpture's creation from 1927 to 1941, questions were constantly raised about the reliability of the mountain's composite, as the rock was in many places delicate and unpredictable. The National Park Service told the Times in a statement that there simply isn't room for another face on the side of the mountain. 'The carved portion of Mount Rushmore has been thoroughly evaluated, and there are no viable locations left for additional carvings,' the park service told the outlet. Borglum — the main mind behind Mount Rushmore's design — ultimately changed his plan nine times, due to rock inconsistency, fractures and fragility in the mountain. Early plans, according to Smithsonian magazine, included an entablature with a short history of the country, a staircase, a Hall of Records to include the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the torsos of each president featured. But each idea was abandoned due to the rock's fragility. While there is, technically, free mountainside space on either side of the historic sculpture, Borglum believed only the space he ended up using in the final product was actually workable, and there would be no more room for any sort of addition. Thus, those wishing to see Mount Rushmore evolve in any artistic way are likely to be disappointed, Wenk told the Times. 'Fortunately, from my view — and not just for Trump but anybody else — they're fighting against the reality of the rock," Wenk said. Read the original article on People
