J.D. Vance Booed at Kennedy Center Performance After Donald Trump’s Leadership Takeover
By Ingrid Vasquez
Published on March 13, 2025, 11:36 PM EDT
Vice President J.D. Vance was met with boos during a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 13, following President Donald Trump’s takeover of leadership at the iconic cultural venue.
Vance, 40, was preparing to watch a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra, featuring Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos performing Stravinsky’s Petrushka, when the crowd reacted negatively to his presence. In a video shared by The Guardian’s Andrew Roth on X, a man can be heard yelling “Boo,” with another person adding an expletive. As the boos grew louder, Vance, seated with his wife, Usha, appeared unfazed, taking a sip of his drink and waving at the audience. The boos lasted for about 30 seconds, as reported by The New York Times.
This reaction follows Trump’s announcement in February that he was taking control of the Kennedy Center, a move that resulted in the removal of several board members, including the Chairman, who were said not to share his vision for the center. Trump announced that he would be establishing a new board, with himself as chairman.
In early February, Trump criticized what he termed as “woke” shows at the center, stating that they were “terrible” and a “disgrace.” He also revealed he had never seen a show at the Kennedy Center but had received reports about the quality of performances. “We don’t need woke at the Kennedy Center,” he said, adding that he would oversee the center until it was “running right.”
Trump was officially elected Chairman of the Kennedy Center’s Board on February 12, with Vance’s wife, Usha, being appointed as one of its members.
Since Trump’s takeover, more than 20 shows have been canceled, including Issa Rae’s performance of An Evening with Issa Rae in February. Shonda Rhimes also resigned from her role as treasurer of the Kennedy Center following these developments.