WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President on Saturday presented the with their medals during a ceremony in the Oval Office, hailing the slate of artists he was deeply involved in choosing as 鈥減erhaps the most accomplished and renowned class鈥� ever assembled.
This year’s recipients are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford.
Trump said they are a group of 鈥渋ncredible people鈥� who represent the 鈥渧ery best in American arts and culture鈥� and that, 鈥淚 know most of them and I’ve been a fan of all of them.鈥�
鈥淭his is a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans,鈥� said a tuxedo-clad Trump. “This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled.鈥�
Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center
Trump ignored the Kennedy Center and its premier awards program during his first term as president. But the Republican has instituted a series of changes since returning to office in January, most notably and replacing them with GOP supporters who voted him in as chairman of the board.
Trump also has criticized the center’s programming and its physical appearance, and has
The president placed around each honoree’s neck a new medal that was designed, created and donated by jeweler Tiffany & Co., according to the Kennedy Center and Trump.
It’s a gold disc etched on one side with the Kennedy Center’s image and rainbow colors. The honoree’s name appears on the reverse side with the date of the ceremony. The medallion hangs from a navy blue ribbon and replaces a large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates that rested on the honoree’s shoulders and chest and had been used since the first honors program in 1978.
Trump honors the honorees
Strait, wearing a cowboy hat, was first to receive his medal. When the country singer started to take off the hat, Trump said, 鈥淚f you want to leave it on, you can. I think we can get it through.鈥� But Strait took it off.
The president said Crawford was a 鈥済reat star of Broadway鈥� for his lead role in the long-running 鈥淧hantom of the Opera.鈥� Of Gaynor, he said, 鈥淲e have the disco queen, and she was indeed, and nobody did it like Gloria Gaynor.鈥�
Trump was effusive about his friend Stallone, calling him a 鈥渨onderful鈥� and 鈥渟pectacular鈥� person and 鈥渙ne of the true, great movie stars鈥� and “one of the great legends.”
Kiss is an 鈥渋ncredible rock band,” he said.
Songs by honorees Gaynor and Kiss played in the Rose Garden just outside the Oval Office as members of the White House press corps waited nearby for Trump to begin the ceremony.
The president said in August that he was 鈥渁bout 98% involved鈥� in choosing the 2025 honorees when he personally announced them at the Kennedy Center, the first slate chosen under his leadership. The honorees traditionally had been announced by press release.
It was unclear how they were chosen. Before Trump, it fell to a bipartisan selection committee.
鈥淭hese are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation. The greatest that we鈥檝e seen,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淲e can hardly imagine the country music phenomena without its king of country, or American disco without its first lady, or Broadway without its phantom 鈥� and that was a phantom, let me tell you 鈥� or rock and roll without its hottest band in the world, and that鈥檚 what they are, or Hollywood without one of its greatest visionaries.”
鈥淓ach 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,鈥� Trump said.
Trump also attended an annual State Department dinner for the honorees on Saturday. In years past, the honorees received their medallions there but Trump moved that to the White House.
Trump said during pre-dinner remarks that the honorees are more than celebrities.
鈥淚t gives me tremendous pleasure to congratulate them once again and say thank you for your incredible career,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hank you for gracing us with this wisdom and just genius that you have.鈥�
Trump to host the Kennedy Center Honors
Meanwhile, the glitzy Kennedy Center Honors program and its series of tribute speeches and performances for each recipient is set to be taped on Sunday at the performing arts center for broadcast later in December on CBS and Paramount+. Trump is to attend the program for the first time as president, accompanied by his wife, first lady Melania Trump.
The president said in August that he had agreed to host the show. At dinner Saturday, he said he was doing so 鈥渁t the request of a certain television network.鈥� Trump predicted that the broadcast would garner its highest ratings ever as a result. No president has ever been the host.
At the White House, Trump said he looked forward to Sunday’s celebration.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be something that I believe, and I鈥檓 going to make a prediction: This will be the highest-rated show that they鈥檝e ever done and they鈥檝e gotten some pretty good ratings, but there鈥檚 nothing like what鈥檚 going to happen tomorrow night,鈥� Trump said.
The president also swiped at late-night TV show host Jimmy Kimmel, whose program was following criticism of his comments related to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September.
Kimmel and Trump are sharp critics of each other, with the president regularly deriding Kimmel’s talent as a host. Kimmel has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Academy Award multiple times.
Trump said he should be able to outdo Kimmel.
鈥淚’ve watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚f I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president.鈥�
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