Stars of the Broadway musical "Hamilton" drew the ire of Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell on Monday after announcing a boycott.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote and stars in the musical, and producer Jefferey Seller have said they will not perform the 2026 run of their Pulitzer Prize-winning drama at the Kennedy Center. Multiple other artists are boycotting the Kennedy Center as a protest against President Donald Trump's policies.
Grenell, who served as acting director of national intelligence during Trump's first term, said in a lengthy statement posted on X that the boycotting stars are "cosplay[ing] as victims of intolerance."
"I cannot begin to understand what business it is of Mr. Seller or Mr. Miranda how audience members vote or how it could possibly be relevant to the sacred relationship between performers and ticket holders, but they've made it clear that they won't perform for audiences that might contain Americans who disagree with them on matters irrelevant to the arts," Grenell wrote.
The boycott of the Kennedy Center has brewed for several months. After taking office, Trump dismissed all of the Kennedy Center board members and replaced them with loyalists. In turn, performers have boycotted Trump's attendance at Kennedy Center events, and attendees have booed and jeered at Trump when he was introduced at the Kennedy Center.
Democratic senators have also planned to host a Pride concert at the Kennedy Center in protest of Trump's anti-LGBTQ policies.
To Grenell, Miranda and Seller's decision to not perform at the Kennedy Center seemed to be a step too far.
"No one has been cancelled by the Kennedy Center; we welcome everyone who wants to celebrate the arts, including our compatriots on the other side of the political aisle," Grenell wrote. "We especially welcome artists and audience members who come to the Kennedy Center not for partisan political pranks but to experience excellence in the performing arts."
