WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump took place on Saturday 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees in the Oval Office for what the White House called the medal ceremony.
This year's honorees included actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford.
Trump ignored the Kennedy Center and its awards program during his first term. But the Republican president has made a number of changes since returning to office in January, most notably expulsion of the board of trustees and replacing them with GOP supporters who voted him into chairman.
Trump also criticized the center's program and appearance. promised to repair both.
In August, the president said he was “about 98% involved” in choosing the 2025 honorees when he personally announced them at the Kennedy Center, the first list selected under his leadership. The laureates were traditionally announced in a press release.
It was unclear how they were selected. Before Trump, this task belonged to a bipartisan selection committee.
Later Saturday, after an event in the Oval Office, Trump was scheduled to attend the State Department's annual honorees dinner. Previously, honorees received their medallions at the dinner, but it turns out Trump moved the ceremony to the White House.
Meanwhile, the glittering Kennedy Center Honors program and its series of performances honoring each recipient will be taped Sunday at the Center for the Performing Arts and broadcast later in December on CBS and Paramount+. Trump will attend the program for the first time as president, accompanied by his wife, first lady Melania Trump.
The president said in August that he would host the show, but the White House did not describe his level of involvement. Presidents traditionally attend the program and sit next to the laureates in the hall. No one ever acted as the owner.
“I was asked to be the host. I said, 'I'm the president of the United States.' Are you fools asking me to do this?” Trump said at the time. “And then Susie Wiles said to me, 'Sir, I'd like you to be the host.' I said, 'OK, Susie, I'll do it,'” Trump said, referring to the White House chief of staff.
Trump spent several hours at the Kennedy Center on Friday. He participated in the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and accepted it first world prize. Trump also met in the group with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.
