‘Hamilton’ Releases Statement After Canceling Shows at Trump-Run Kennedy Center
Joan Marcus
Hamilton is taking a stand against a Kennedy Center that is controlled by President Donald Trump. One of the Broadway show’s producers opened up about their decision to cancel next year’s engagements at the Washington D.C. venue.
Hamilton is a hip-hop musical that was created by Puerto Rican star Lin-Manuel Miranda in 2015. Since then, the show about U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution has toured the world. Hamilton was set to return to John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on March 3, 2026 for a two-month run. The historic venue is now under the control of President Trump, who kicked off his administration in January with mass deportations, an anti-immigration stance, and a restrictive approach to the arts. In an unprecedented move, Trump also took over as chair of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees.
Jeffrey Seller, one of the producers of Hamilton, opened up about the decision to cancel next year’s run of shows at the Kennedy Center. “Our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center,” he said in a statement. “We are not acting against [President Trump’s] administration, but against the partisan policies of the Kennedy Center as a result of his recent takeover. These actions bring a new spirit of partisanship to the national treasure that is the Kennedy Center.”
It’s worth noting that Hamilton was previously performed at the Kennedy Center in 2018 during President Trump’s first administration and four years later under President Joe Biden’s administration. In January, Miranda made light of Trump becoming president on Saturday Night Live. As Hamilton, he sang, “In America, we will never have a king.” His performance was then cut off by James Austin Johnson as Trump, who exclaimed, “Never say never!”
