Trump draws applause at Kennedy Center opening of ‘Chicago’

President Trump received a mostly positive reception during an appearance at the Kennedy Center on Tuesday evening, as he and first lady Melania Trump attended the opening of the musical “Chicago.”

As the first couple entered, those in the crowd who booed were drowned out by louder cheers, according to The Associated Press. It marked their first trip to the performing arts center since the first lady’s eponymous documentary film premiered there in January.

“Chicago,” which is set in the 1920s, is the longest-running American musical on Broadway. It tells the story of Roxie Hart, a nightclub dancer who murders her lover and tries to avoid going to jail. The musical will run at the Kennedy Center Opera House through this Sunday.

Since returning to office, Trump has exerted his influence over the Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971 as a memorial to former President Kennedy. Trump hand-picked new members of the board last year and anointed himself as chair.

In December, the new board voted to add Trump’s name to the building, a move that congressional Democrats said could not occur without legislation. That marked just one of many instances in which the Trump administration has added the president’s name to buildings and programs, including the U.S. Institute for Peace and the TrumpRx prescription drug platform. 

After a July 4 celebration, the center is scheduled to close for renovations for two years — a closure pushed by Trump, who argued that the building needed maintenance. But multiple legal challenges have sought to halt the renovation, including one from Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio member of the center’s board. 

The week before the center closes, comedian Bill Maher will receive this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on June 28. White House officials initially denied reports earlier this month that the HBO “Real Time” host, a frequent critic of Trump who dined with the president last year, would receive the award.

Previous recipients of the award include Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey and David Letterman, among other notable comedians.

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