Lin-Manuel Miranda Says Not Performing 'Hamilton' at the Kennedy Center Was an ‘Easy Decision’

Lin-Manuel Miranda, renowned creator of the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical "Hamilton," confirmed the show’s 2026 engagement at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. has been cancelled. The decision follows a recent and widely publicized overhaul of the Kennedy Center’s leadership, with former President Donald Trump assuming the role of board chairman in February 2025, ushering in sweeping changes that Miranda and the show’s producers characterized as “partisan” and antithetical to the Center’s founding spirit .

The musical was originally scheduled to help mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being signed, with performances originally scheduled for March 3 to April 26, 2026. This would have marked "Hamilton"’s third engagement at the prestigious venue, following acclaimed runs in 2018 and 2022 .

Speaking to media outlets, Miranda did not mince words: “It was an easy decision,” he said of withdrawing "Hamilton" from the Kennedy Center’s 2026 season . He and Jeffrey Seller, "Hamilton"’s lead producer, issued a joint statement asserting, “The Kennedy Center was not created in this spirit, and we’re not going to be a part of it while it is the Trump Kennedy Center. We’re just not going to be part of it” .

Seller elaborated that while "Hamilton" had previously performed at the Kennedy Center under both Republican and Democratic administrations, the new leadership’s “partisan policies” and recent unilateral changes to programming presented an unacceptable risk to the company’s values and contractual security. “'Hamilton' is a large and global production, and it would simply be financially and personally devastating to the hundreds of employees of 'Hamilton' if the new leadership of the Kennedy Center suddenly cancelled or re-negotiated our engagement. The actions of the new Chairman of the Board in recent weeks demonstrate that contracts and previous agreements simply cannot be trusted,” Seller stated .

The new leadership, with Trump as chair and Richard Grenell as president, has taken a markedly different approach to programming and public communications, including the cancellation of other shows such as the children’s musical *Finn* . In response to Hamilton’s withdrawal, Grenell accused Miranda and Seller of “intolerance” and dismissed the move as “a publicity stunt that will backfire,” suggesting the creators were only interested in audiences that aligned with their own political views .

Miranda and Seller, however, rebuffed these claims, emphasizing that their opposition was not to the administration itself, but to the overt politicization of the nation’s most important performing arts venue and the risks posed to both artists and audiences .

The cancellation has reignited debate about the intersection of art and politics, particularly in spaces that serve as symbols of national identity and diversity. "Hamilton" has been widely celebrated for its groundbreaking casting and inclusive storytelling, foregrounding historically marginalized voices—including Black, Latinx, and queer communities—in American history. Miranda himself has long been an outspoken ally to the queer community, advocating for inclusion both onstage and off .

The current political climate at the Kennedy Center raises concerns among advocates about the future of inclusive programming. Many in the queer community see the cancellation as a necessary stand against attempts to erase or marginalize queer representation in the arts. For performers and creators, the decision signals a refusal to compromise on core values of equity, visibility, and safety for all artists and audiences, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or political affiliation .

"Hamilton"’s relationship with the Kennedy Center has been storied. The show was performed there in 2018, during Trump’s first term, and again in 2022 under President Biden. The decision to withdraw now points not to partisanship per se, but to the sense that the Center’s current leadership is fundamentally at odds with the institution’s mission as a nonpartisan home for the arts .

Miranda was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2018 for his contributions to American culture, and has repeatedly spoken about the importance of creating spaces where all people, including queer youth, can see themselves reflected on stage .

The episode has prompted reflection on the vulnerability of public arts institutions to political interference, and the need to safeguard spaces where queer and other marginalized communities can gather, create, and be seen .