“Hamilton” Cancels Kennedy Center Run Over Trump Administration’s Influence 

News Americas, New York, NY, March 6, 2025: The producers of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton have canceled an upcoming run at the Kennedy Center, citing concerns over what they describe as President Donald Trump’s political takeover of the renowned cultural institution.

The announcement, made Wednesday by Hamilton creator, Puerto Rican roots, Lin-Manuel Miranda and lead producer Jeffrey Seller, comes in response to the Trump administration’s recent removal of Democratic board members from the Kennedy Center and the appointment of Richard Grenell as interim executive director.

Next year’s Washington, D.C. production of the critically acclaimed musical-based on the life of Caribbean immigrant turned US Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton – was intended to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, Seller said the administration’s changes at the Kennedy Center violated the longstanding tradition of nonpartisan support for the arts.

“We cannot presently support an institution that has been forced by external forces to betray its mission as a national cultural center that fosters the free expression of art in the United States of America,” Seller stated.

A Political Clash Over the Arts

Seller clarified that the decision was based on the administration’s influence over the Kennedy Center’s leadership rather than broader political policies. However, Grenell quickly fired back, calling the cancellation a “publicity stunt.”

“The Arts are for everyone – not just for the people who Lin likes and agrees with,” Grenell posted on social media, accusing Miranda and Seller of shutting out Republicans from the show.

This latest controversy isn’t the first time Hamilton has clashed with the Trump administration. In 2016, members of the cast publicly addressed then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence during a performance, voicing concerns about the new administration’s commitment to protecting the rights of all Americans. Trump responded by accusing the cast of harassment and demanding an apology via social media.

With the cancellation of its Kennedy Center run, Hamilton once again finds itself at the center of a broader debate over the role of politics in the arts – and the growing tensions between the creative community and the Trump administration.