Overview

• On Aug. 13, Trump announced Sylvester Stallone, KISS, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor and Michael Crawford as the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees.
• He declared he would host the Dec. 7 ceremony, marking the first time a sitting president has taken on that role.
• Trump said he was “about 98% involved” in the selection process and turned down candidates he deemed “too woke.”
• The president has proposed renaming the center and vowed to undertake extensive renovations to elevate its prestige.
• His takeover has led to show cancellations and artist pullouts, fueling worries about donor support and the center’s nonpartisan standing.