Vice President J.D. Vance faced an awkward reception during a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, shortly after President Donald Trump assumed leadership over the esteemed arts venue. On Thursday, March 13, a video circulated by The Guardian's global affairs correspondent Andrew Roth on platform X captured the moment when the 40-year-old Vice President was met with immediate boos as he prepared to enjoy a rendition of Stravinsky's "Petrushka" by the National Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos, from his balcony seat. His wife, Usha Vance, accompanied him amidst the unfolding scene.
As Vance settled into his seat, a man's voice rang out with a loud "Boo," followed by another individual uttering an expletive in disbelief. As more audience members realized Vance's presence, the chorus of boos grew louder and more unified, prompting Vance to take a sip of his drink and wave down at the audience below. Despite continuing his conversation with his wife, the booing persisted for approximately 30 seconds, as reported by The New York Times.
This negative response towards Vance's attendance at the Kennedy Center came on the heels of Trump's announcement on the Truth Social platform on Friday, February 7, that he was taking charge of the performing arts and cultural center. "Under my directive, we will make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. GREAT AGAIN. I have decided to terminate immediately several individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not align with our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture. Soon, we will unveil a new Board, with an exceptional Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP," he declared at that time.
The Kennedy Center responded by stating that they had not received any communications from the White House regarding changes to their board of trustees but acknowledged that "some members of our board have received termination notices from the administration."
On Sunday, February 9, while addressing questions aboard Air Force One en route to the 2025 Super Bowl, Trump elaborated on his interest in taking over the Kennedy Center. "I want to ensure it operates correctly. We don't need wokeness at the Kennedy Center, and some of the shows were appalling. It was a disgrace that they were even staged," he remarked. "So, I'll be there until it's running properly." When asked if he had ever attended a show at the Kennedy Center, Trump added, "No. I heard reports that they were terrible… I didn't want to go. There was nothing I wanted to see."
On Wednesday, February 12, Trump was elected Chairman of the Board, while Vance's wife, Usha, was selected as one of the board members, according to NPR. Since Trump's takeover, more than 20 shows have been canceled, as reported by Consequence. Issa Rae voluntarily canceled her performance titled "An Evening with Issa Rae" at the center in February, and Shonda Rhimes resigned from her position as treasurer. Additionally, Ben Folds announced his resignation as the artistic director of the NSO following the takeover.
