President Donald Trump on Saturday hosted teh Kennedy Center Honorees at the White House,marking a departure from tradition with a ceremony he personally guided after a recent overhaul of the Kennedy Center’s leadership. Honorees included actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and george Strait, the rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford, each receiving a newly designed medal. The event signals a more direct presidential involvement in the annual celebration of American arts and culture, following a period where Trump largely distanced himself from the Kennedy Center during his first term.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Saturday honored the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees with medals in a ceremony at the White House, describing the group of artists he personally helped select as “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class” in the award show’s history.
This year’s recipients are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford.
“They are incredible people,” Trump said, adding that they represent “the very best in American arts and culture” and that “I know most of them and I’ve been a fan of all of them.”
“This is a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans,” the tuxedo-clad President stated. “This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled.”
Trump’s Remaking of the Kennedy Center
Trump largely bypassed the Kennedy Center and its prestigious awards program during his first term. However, since returning to office in January, the Republican has initiated a series of changes, most notably ousting the existing board of trustees and replacing them with supporters who subsequently voted him in as chairman of the board.
The President has also voiced criticism of the center’s programming and aesthetic, and has vowed to overhaul both. The Kennedy Center Honors are a cornerstone of Washington’s cultural scene, and Trump’s involvement marks a significant shift in the event’s history.
Trump presented each honoree with a newly designed medal created and donated by Tiffany & Co. The medal features a gold disc etched with the Kennedy Center’s image and rainbow colors on one side, and the honoree’s name and the date of the ceremony on the reverse. It hangs from a navy blue ribbon, replacing the large rainbow ribbon with gold plates that had been used since the program’s inception in 1978.
Honoring the Icons
Country music legend George Strait, sporting his signature cowboy hat, was the first to receive his medal. As he began to remove the hat, Trump quipped, “If you want to leave it on, you can. I think we can get it through.” Strait ultimately took it off.
The President described Crawford as a “great star of Broadway” for his iconic role in “The Phantom of the Opera.” Of Gloria Gaynor, he said, “We have the disco queen, and she was indeed, and nobody did it like Gloria Gaynor.”
Trump was particularly effusive in his praise of Stallone, a longtime friend, calling him “wonderful” and “spectacular,” “one of the true, great movie stars,” and “one of the great legends.”
He also lauded Kiss as an “incredible rock band.”
Songs by Gaynor and Kiss played in the Rose Garden as members of the White House press corps awaited the ceremony’s conclusion.
Trump announced the 2025 honorees personally at the Kennedy Center in August, stating he was “about 98% involved” in the selection process – a departure from the traditional press release announcement. The selection process itself remains unclear, as it previously relied on a bipartisan committee.
“These are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation. The greatest that we’ve seen,” Trump said. “We can hardly imagine the country music phenomena without its king of country, or American disco without its first lady, or Broadway without its phantom — and that was a phantom, let me tell you — or rock and roll without its hottest band in the world, and that’s what they are, or Hollywood without one of its greatest visionaries.”
“Each of you has made an indelible mark on American life and together you have defined entire genres and set new standards for the performing arts,” Trump added.
Trump also attended an annual State Department dinner for the honorees on Saturday, moving the medal presentation from that event to the White House.
Trump to Host the Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors program, featuring tribute speeches and performances, is set to be taped on Sunday at the performing arts center for broadcast later in December on CBS and Paramount+. Trump is scheduled to attend the program for the first time as President, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump.
In August, Trump indicated he would host the show, and on Saturday, he seemed to confirm those plans, predicting the broadcast would achieve its highest ratings ever. While Presidents traditionally attend the program and sit with the honorees, none have ever served as host.
“It’s going to be something that I believe, and I’m going to make a prediction: this will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done and they’ve gotten some pretty good ratings, but there’s nothing like what’s going to happen tomorrow night,” Trump said.
The President also took a swipe at late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, whose show was briefly suspended by ABC earlier this year following controversy over comments related to an incident involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Trump and Kimmel have a history of public criticism, with the President frequently questioning Kimmel’s talent as a host. Kimmel, a veteran of awards show hosting, has led the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Academy Awards multiple times.
“I’ve watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible,” Trump said. “If I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president.”
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