Lin-Manuel Miranda slammed by Richard Grenell after Hamilton cancellation and American Idol appearance as guest mentor

Lin-Manuel Miranda, famous for his contributions to Hamilton, Moana, and Encanto, is currently a guest mentor on American Idol season 23 for the Disney-themed episodes of the series. His appearance has, however, been tainted by controversy after he canceled Hamilton's planned engagement at the Kennedy Center in 2026.

This action was triggered by what he called a political realignment at the venue, which drew criticism, especially from Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center's interim director, whose strong response on social media fueled a political firestorm.

Grenell took issue with Miranda not showing up at the Kennedy Center and characterized the decision as politically intolerant. In a statement on his X account on May 6, 2025, Grenell wrote:

“Shame on you, @AmericanIdol. Inviting @Lin_Manuel to be a mentor to young people 3 weeks after Lin pulled his show from the Kennedy Center because he can’t work with Republicans is an obvious move to support political intolerance.”

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Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton cancellation sparks political controversy amid American Idol mentorship

Hamilton producers withdraw from Kennedy Center

In March 2025, the creators of Hamilton, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, made the decision to cancel the musical's third performance at the Kennedy Center, which was scheduled for 2026. The decision followed actions taken by the Trump administration, including restructuring the Kennedy Center's staff and leadership. Jeffrey Seller, a producer of Hamilton, rationalized the action by stating:

"Given these recent actions, our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center."

The cancellation was in response to President Donald Trump's involvement at the arts facility, specifically his appointment of new leadership and changes at the board of the Kennedy Center. These steps led to a number of high-profile resignations, among them those of Shonda Rhimes and Issa Rae.

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Grenell critiques Miranda's role on American Idol

Richard Grenell, the acting director of the Kennedy Center and President Trump's appointee, publicly chastised Miranda for appearing on American Idol following the Hamilton cancellation. Miranda served as a guest mentor on the May 5, 2025, episode during the show's annual "Disney Night," guiding the Top 5 contestants through Disney classics.

In the same X post by Grenell, he also indicated his position that artists need to play before all audiences, whether Republican or not. He went on to say:

“We need performers who perform for everyone. Not radicals who litmus test the audience’s voting history. D**b move, @abc.”

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Ongoing reactions to Miranda's decision

Following the announcement of Hamilton's cancellation at the Kennedy Center, reactions have continued from both political figures and members of the public. While the American Idol guest mentor has not released a personal statement beyond the producers' March announcement, his role as a guest mentor on American Idol has drawn attention amid the controversy.

As of May 2025, there have been no confirmations about a replacement venue for the canceled Washington, D.C. run. The Kennedy Center has not commented on future programming changes, while American Idol has not addressed Grenell's criticism publicly.

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