JD Vance, the US vice-president, was booed by the audience as he took his seat at a National Symphony Orchestra concert at Washington’s Kennedy Center on Thursday evening.
The negative reaction from the audience came just weeks after President Donald Trump seized control of the cultural institution. Vance, 40, attended the event with his wife, Usha Vance, who was recently appointed to the Kennedy Center’s board by Trump.
A video shared by The Guardian’s Andrew Roth captured the moment, showing audience members booing as Vance took his seat to watch the National Symphony Orchestra and violinist Leonidas Kavakos perform Petrushka by Stravinsky. Some attendees could be heard swearing, while Vance casually sipped his drink and waved at the crowd. The New York Times reported that the booing lasted approximately 30 seconds.
The public backlash comes after Trump announced on Feb. 7 via Truth Social that he was taking control of the Kennedy Center. He declared his intent to fire multiple board members, including the chairman, to reshape the institution’s artistic direction.
"At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. GREAT AGAIN," Trump wrote. "I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture."
Despite Trump’s claims, the Kennedy Center stated that it had not officially received any communication from the White House about the board changes. However, reports confirmed that several trustees had been notified of their termination.
Trump later explained his decision to intervene in the Kennedy Center’s operations during a press conference aboard Air Force One on Feb. 9. He criticized past performances, labeling them "terrible" and "woke," saying, “I want to make sure it runs properly… I’ll be there until such time that it is running right.”
However, when asked if he had ever attended a show at the Kennedy Center, Trump admitted, “No. I get reports they were so bad … I didn’t want to go. There was nothing I wanted to see.”
Trump was officially elected Chairman of the Board on Feb. 12, with Usha Vance joining as a board member. Since his takeover, over 20 scheduled performances have been canceled, according to Consequence. Notably, Issa Rae pulled out of her February event, An Evening with Issa Rae, while Shonda Rhimes resigned from her role as treasurer in protest.
As the Kennedy Center undergoes drastic changes under Trump’s leadership, controversy continues to mount. With public figures like Vance facing backlash in public spaces, the institution’s future remains uncertain. Will Trump’s cultural overhaul succeed, or will it face ongoing resistance from artists and audiences alike?
