President Donald Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors on December 7, 2025. This was the first time a sitting U.S. president had been on stage at the ceremony instead of watching from a box. He called the winners Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, and Michael Crawford the “most accomplished and well-known class” ever and talked about how they had a huge effect on American culture around the world.
Neil McDonough, an actor, said that Sylvester Stallone deserved the honor for his writing and acting skills. Stallone is known for his roles in “Rocky” and “Rambo.” Rock band Kiss, which includes members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and is known for its theatrical makeup and fireworks, was honored along with guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in 2014. Gloria Gaynor, who is best known for her song “I Will Survive,” and George Strait, a country music legend, joined Tony Award-winning actor Michael Crawford in honoring people who have made important contributions to music, film, and theater over their lifetimes.
On December 6, Trump gave redesigned Tiffany & Co. gold medallions to people being honored in the Oval Office. This was different from the usual State Department dinner format. He said he had a lot to do with the choices, turned down ideas that were “too woke,” and said that the CBS/Paramount+ broadcast on December 23 would get record ratings. Before the event, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick praised Trump’s calm, camera-ready style.
The ceremony shows how hard Trump is working to promote non-“woke” American arts at the Kennedy Center, a place named after JFK that he has changed in the middle of cultural debates. Since 1978, the awards have honored cultural icons like Meryl Streep and Bob Dylan.
