In brief
During a ceremony held in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump presented medals to the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees, which included notable figures like Sylvester Stallone and the band Kiss. This event signifies a shift in Trump's approach towards the Kennedy Center after a previously hands-off stance in his first term. Notably, Trump has taken significant steps to reshape the Kennedy Center's board and its programming, including the selection process for honorees. The honorees are set to be celebrated during an upcoming televised program as Trump plans to attend the event as president for the first time.
President Donald Trump hosted a medal presentation ceremony in the Oval Office on Saturday, honoring the recipients of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors. This year’s honorees included prominent figures such as actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the legendary rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford. In a notable shift, Trump had previously overlooked the Kennedy Center program during his first term, but after returning to office, he made substantial changes including dismissing the board of trustees and replacing them with supporters from his party. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the Kennedy Center's programming and vowed to initiate an overhaul, suggesting that he had a considerable role in selecting this year's honorees, stating he was “about 98% involved” in the process. Traditionally, honorees were announced by a bipartisan selection committee, making the current selection process under Trump a subject of curiosity. Following the Oval Office event, Trump was scheduled to attend a State Department dinner in honor of the recipients, marking a departure from tradition where honorees received their medallions at the dinner. The Kennedy Center’s annual tribute performances will be filmed on Sunday for later broadcast, and Trump is set to attend this event for the first time as president, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump. Trump's journey to this event began with a busy Friday at the Kennedy Center, where he participated in the FIFA World Cup draw for 2026 and accepted an inaugural peace prize. His involvement in these high-profile cultural events indicates an intention to leverage the spotlight of the arts and entertainment community during his leadership.
