President's culture war

Trump hears the people sing, but their message falls on stony ground

- David Smith

o you hear the people sing? / Singing a song of angry men? / It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!

When the rousing anthem of revolution filled the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, Donald Trump may have had a Pavlovian response along the lines of "Send in the marines." We will never know.

The tuxedo-clad US president had stood on a red carpet, accompanied by the first lady, Melania, in a long black dress, promising a "golden era" for America before attending the musical Les Misérables, which translates as The Wretched.

The story of Les Mis is inspired by the June Rebellion, an 1832 insurrection by republicans against the authoritarianism of a newly established French king. No one is expecting a replay from US Republicans in June 2025.

Key characters include Jean Valjean, who is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread and then seeks redemption, and Inspector Javert, who is obsessed with law and order and hunts Valjean without mercy. One reporter asked Trump whether he identifies more with Valjean or Javert.

"Oh, that's a tough one," said the wannabe strongman who sent troops to crush immigration protests in Los Angeles and is about to stage a tank parade on his birthday. "You better answer that one," he deflected to Melania.

It was Trump's first production at the Kennedy Center, the performing arts complex where he pulled a Viktor Orbán and seized control in February. He pushed out the centre's former chair, fired its longtime president and pledged to overhaul an institution that he criticised as too woke.