By Betsy Klein, CNN
Washington, DC (CNN) — President Donald Trump finally got the Kennedy Center reception he’s always wanted.
He just had to gut the board of trustees, reshape its leadership and staffing, overhaul its programming, and prepare for a $257 million renovation that he says will require a two-year closure starting this July.
Joined by the first lady, who wore an apropos fringe dress, Trump arrived in the presidential box suite at the storied arts center, renamed the “Trump Kennedy Center” by his board in December, to widespread applause and minimal boos throughout the iconic Opera House on the opening night of “Chicago.”
The show is about murder, debauchery, publicity, fame, and ultimately, justice – or a lack thereof.
At intermission, attendees once again stood to applaud the Trumps, some chanting, “USA, USA.” And a well-placed source observed the president doing his signature dance moves to the finale.
It was a departure from his charged July appearance at a showing of “Les Misérables,” where four drag queens sat below the presidential box in a visual protest of Trump’s programming changes and one audience member was escorted out by security for calling him a “convicted felon.”
The Trumps’ visit comes at a challenging moment for the center as the president has overseen a period of slumping ticket sales and major artists canceling their appearances, which some saw as driving the desire to temporarily close. Layoffs began last week ahead of the expected renovations, with 75 to 175 of the center’s 300 employees ultimately expected to be impacted.
Trump has been unhappy with some of the negative publicity around the Kennedy Center, announcing earlier this month that he’d replace its president, his longtime ally Richard Grenell, with Matt Floca, its vice president of facilities operations.
On Tuesday, the Trumps sat with Floca, as well as aides Margo Martin, Dan Scavino, Karoline Leavitt, and Natalie Harp. The president’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, sat a few boxes away.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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