President Donald Trump faced some lighthearted yet pointed criticism after struggling to answer a question about Les Misérables during a high-profile appearance at the Kennedy Center, where he attended the Broadway production with his wife, Melania Trump.
The couple arrived arm-in-arm at the historic arts venue on the evening of June 7, drawing attention as they walked the red carpet. Melania turned heads in a sleek black dress, her hair styled down and flowing, while Donald Trump sported a formal black-and-white tuxedo.
As they posed for cameras and greeted guests, reporters shouted questions — many relating to the show and current political events. One reporter asked the former president whether he identified more with Jean Valjean, the show’s heroic protagonist, or Inspector Javert, the relentless law enforcer who pursues him.
Trump paused, chuckled, and replied, “That’s a tough one. That last part of that question.” Then, turning to his wife while holding her hand, he added, “You better answer that one, honey. I don’t know.”
A video clip of the exchange quickly went viral online, with critics and commentators suggesting that Trump appeared unfamiliar with the plot of Les Misérables.
“He doesn’t know the play, he doesn’t know the history. It’s the only way he could get a night out with Melania,” one user posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Seriously, this is even nuttier than normal nutty.”
Another user joked, “I’ll bet my house he doesn’t know who both are.” A third drew a parallel to another infamous Trump moment, writing, “Just like ‘name your favorite Bible verse, Mr. Trump.’ Umm… it’s tough, I wouldn’t wanna get into it.”
Others noted his long-standing pattern of vague responses. “He’s never read the story nor seen the play & has no idea who they’re asking him about,” one person posted, adding laughing emojis. “This reminds me of when they asked him his favorite Bible verse at CPAC — same kind of answer.”
When asked by the same reporter whether he had seen the musical before, Trump responded, “We have seen it a number of times. It’s fantastic.”
Les Misérables, set during a 19th-century French uprising, tells the story of resistance and revolution. Trump’s attendance at the show came just days after he deployed U.S. Marines and the National Guard in response to nationwide protests, including violent clashes in Los Angeles following aggressive ICE raids on June 6 targeting undocumented immigrants.
The timing and symbolism of the evening were not lost on political observers, many of whom questioned the optics of Trump attending a production centered on rebellion while overseeing a heavy-handed crackdown on dissent.