Overview
- The White House held an Oval Office medal presentation for the 2025 honorees on Saturday, replacing the customary State Department awards moment.
- Trump says he will host Sunday’s taped tribute at the Kennedy Center, but his on-stage role has not been described by the White House.
- The 2025 honorees are Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, Kiss and Michael Crawford.
- Since returning to office, Trump ousted the Kennedy Center board, installed Republican-aligned members who elected him chair, and criticized programming and the building while promising renovations.
- Trump has said he was about 98% involved in selecting the honorees and the mechanics of the new process remain unclear; the broadcast is scheduled for December 23 on CBS and Paramount+.