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Trump Hosts Kennedy Center Honors on CBS as Renaming Faces Legal Challenges

The telecast capped months of leadership changes and rebranding, with CBS using the “Trump‑Kennedy Center Honors” title and the president asking viewers on Truth Social to rate his emcee performance.

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 06: Honorees (Back Row L-R) Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss of KISS and (Front Row L-R) Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford pose for the class photo at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors Medallion Reception at the U.S. Department of State on December 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump poses on the red carpet for the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 7, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo
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Overview

  • The 48th Kennedy Center Honors, taped Dec. 7 in Washington, aired Dec. 23 on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
  • President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to serve as master of ceremonies, saying he hosted at the board’s request and joking online about leaving the presidency to make hosting a full-time job.
  • After a board vote on Dec. 18, signage adding Trump’s name to the building went up the next day, and a federal lawsuit, members of the Kennedy family and some lawmakers contend such a change requires an act of Congress.
  • CBS introduced the broadcast as the “Trump‑Kennedy Center Honors,” reflecting the new branding even though the event was taped before the renaming.
  • This year’s honorees were Sylvester Stallone, KISS, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, with additional changes including a Tiffany & Co.–designed medallion and reported presidential influence over honoree selection alongside earlier reports of ticket‑sales declines.