Trump Honors KISS, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, and More at the Oval Office Ceremony
Trump Honors 2025 Kennedy Center Recipients
President Donald Trump honored the 2025 Kennedy Center recipients in a ceremony held on Saturday, December 6, in the Oval Office. He described the honorees as “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class” ever assembled.
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This year’s recipients include actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band KISS, and actor-singer Michael Crawford. Trump referred to them as “incredible people” representing the “very best in American arts and culture.” He expressed familiarity with most of the honorees and noted, “I’ve been a fan of all of them.”
Trump remarked on the significance of the honorees, stating, “This is a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted and unified millions of Americans.” He added, “This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled.”
Trump’s Changes to the Kennedy Center
During his first term as president, Trump largely overlooked the Kennedy Center and its prestigious award program. However, since returning to office in January, he has made significant changes, including replacing the board of trustees with supporters and taking on the role of chairman himself. Trump has also criticized the center’s programming and physical presentation, vowing to initiate an overhaul.
Each honoree was draped with a new medal designed and donated by jeweler Tiffany & Co. The gold disc features the Kennedy Center’s image and rainbow colors on one side, while the reverse displays the honoree’s name and the date of the ceremony, all suspended from a navy blue ribbon.
Recognizing the Honorees
George Strait was the first to receive his medal. As he began to remove his cowboy hat, Trump interjected, “If you want to leave it on, you can. I think we can get it through.” However, Strait opted to take it off. Trump lauded Crawford as a “great star of Broadway” for his role in Phantom of the Opera and referred to Gaynor as “the disco queen.”
He praised Stallone, calling him a “wonderful” and “spectacular” person and one of Hollywood’s true legends. Regarding KISS, he referred to them as an “incredible rock band.”
As honoree songs played in the Rose Garden adjacent to the Oval Office, the press corps awaited the start of the ceremony. Trump mentioned that he was “about 98% involved” in selecting this year’s honorees and confirmed that this was the first slate chosen under his direction.
Traditionally, honorees had been announced through a bipartisan selection committee, but specifics of the current selection process remained unclear. Trump stated, “These are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation.”
Trump announced plans to host the Kennedy Center Honors program, which will feature tribute speeches and performances for each recipient. The event is scheduled to be taped on Sunday for broadcast later in December. This marks the first time Trump will attend the program as president, alongside First Lady Melania Trump.
He expressed confidence that the event would achieve record ratings, stating, “This will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done.”
A video from Saturday night was released by the White House, showcasing highlights from the event.
