Overview
- Donald Trump announced the five 2025 Kennedy Center Honors laureates, including Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, KISS and Michael Crawford.
- He said he will preside over the December awards ceremony, marking his first planned attendance since taking control of the center.
- Actress Issa Rae has canceled her scheduled performance and the musical Hamilton has pulled its 2026 dates in protest.
- Tom Cruise declined the honor, reportedly citing a scheduling conflict.
- The White House has launched reviews of the Smithsonian Institution and other major cultural bodies to align programming with the president’s vision.