WASHINGTON — A dressed-to-the-nines President Trump hit the Kennedy Center red carpet hand-in-hand with first lady Melania Wednesday night to see “Les Misérables” — and was unfazed by reports that some cast members of his favorite musical planned to boycott opening night due to his presence.
“I couldn’t care less, all I do is run the country well,” the black tuxedo-clad commander in chief told The Post as he stood next to Melania, who wore a sleek black sleeveless gown and silver stilettos for the event.
It was the president’s first visit to the Washington, DC, performing arts venue since he appointed himself chairman in February, when he declared it was in “tremendous disrepair” and made it his mission to restore the center.
“We want to bring it back better than ever,” Trump said. “As you know, it needs a little help from the standpoint of age and fitness, but it’s going to be fantastic.”
The president revealed he’s seen “Les Mis” a “number of times” — and couldn’t make up his mind about whether he identified more with Jean Valjean or Inspector Javert.
“That’s tough, I think you better answer that, honey,” he said to Melania.
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The ritzy event raised $10 million and was also attended by Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance.
The president had fired the Kennedy Center board when he took the helm — and hand-picked members of his own board,
saying that the previous leadership
allowed drag shows that were “specifically targeting our youth.”
Several drag queens crashed Wednesday’s performance in protest of Trump’s dramatic overhaul of the performing arts venue — and were met with scattered applause and cheers as they took their seats, according to videos
shared on social media.
Trump’s outing comes as
anti-ICE protests erupt nationwide
, with Los Angeles remaining the epicenter of six straight days of violence and destruction sparked by sweeping immigration raids.
Trump has since
deployed 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops
to the City of Angels to quell the unrest – which he said is caused by “radical left lunatics,” many of whom he claims are paid “professionals.
“We are going to have law and order in our country,” Trump said.
“If I didn’t act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now.”
Looking ahead to Saturday, Trump called his
massive military parade
— marking his 79th birthday and the US Army’s 250th anniversary — an “incredible” tribute to the nation.
The
$30 million daylong event along the National Mall
will feature hundreds of military vehicles, tanks and planes, with approximately 6,600 soldiers marching alongside the historic instruments of war.
“It will be a parade like we haven’t had in many, many decades,” Trump promised.
“And it’s a celebration of our country. It’s a celebration of the Army, actually … We have the greatest weapons in the world and the greatest people in the world. It’s gonna be a big parade.”
