The Wretched in the White House

Under the watchful eyes of the US President, attendees at the Governors Ball 2025 sit captivated at their banquets. Some of the singing soldiers approach the smartphone recording the entire scene. One singer's expression doesn't quite reveal what's happening here. On Yahoo, it was later reported that the song selection caused confusion on social media, but also brought cheers and disappointment. While some believed the choir chose the song in protest, others pointed out that Trump had already played a song from Les Miserables at campaign events in 2016 and 2024.

The title of the Les Miserables musical, based on the book of the same name, directly references the existential struggles faced by marginalized groups in 19th-century France. The numerous characters featured in the novel demonstrate to the reader how structural violence distorts individual biographies. The Paris June Uprisings of 1832, prominently featured in the novel, become a symbol for the fight against a system that systematically produces poverty.

One might almost believe the U.S. Army Chorus is setting an example under the eyes of the US President. After all, this leader will one day bear responsibility for all that the various French Revolutions since 1789 sought to overcome. The betrayal of the ideals of European Enlightenment by the US Vice President, enacted earlier at the Munich Security Conference, stands as my witness. Did Emmanuel Macron remind Trump of the significance of Victor Hugo's work for French self-perception during his visit to Washington yesterday?

On February 14, 2025, I had the unique experience of seeing Les Miserables live in Amsterdam; during one of the few performances of "The Arena Spectacular" by the London ensemble with Milan van Waardenburg as part of their 2025 world tour.

Just a little over a week later, the U.S. Army Chorus sings Les Miserables at the White House with the title "One Day More." The singers, in uniform, march with firm posture at the Governors Ball 2025 and sing one of the musical's highlights.

In the song, all protagonists come together and sing about another day, which will hold another destiny for each person. A day that promises eternity for everyone in its own way. Tomorrow will be the day on which God in heaven will show what he has intended for each individual.

Unfortunately, this was not a protest as cleverly crafted meme producers prepared for social media. I was first made aware through a reel on Instagram. It features the video with a text layer noting that protest occurs in many different ways. I spontaneously welled up with tears. I've still got the musical in my bones since Amsterdam, and as someone familiar with the novel, I know the significance of the scene in the musical.

Numerous comments contradict the note of protest. It is merely wishful thinking. As mentioned above, "Shitler von Clownface," as referred to in a Bluesky post, took advantage of the song "Do You Hear The People Sing?" during campaign appearances. That alone was reason enough to write this vignette. For the misery in the White House has nothing to do with the misery that Victor Hugo wrote into his wretched characters years before its appearance in 1862. The real protest must therefore be to support Les Miserables and deliver a powerful kick to POTUS. However, I can only join the lines of Cameron Mackintosh. He produces the musical in London and remarked already in The Guardian in 2016 as follows.

The authors of Les Misérables were not asked for permission and have neither authorized nor endorsed the use of "Do You Hear The People Sing?" at the Trump rally in Miami [at that time], and have never authorized for any of the songs from the musical to be used for this or any other political event.

I conclude by noting that this comment applies to everything that this postmodern clown appropriates from the book and the musical. And with that, I truly close now.