Overview
- The president awarded the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors medals in an Oval Office ceremony on Dec. 6, relocating the presentation from the traditional State Department dinner.
- The tribute was recorded Dec. 7 at the Kennedy Center and will air Dec. 23 on CBS and Paramount+, with Trump serving as host for the first time by a sitting president.
- After replacing the center’s board with Republican-aligned trustees who named him chair, Trump said he was “98% involved” in choosing honorees and rejected some as “too woke.”
- This year’s honorees are Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, Kiss, and Michael Crawford, with Ace Frehley’s medal accepted by his daughter, Monique.
- During remarks, Trump criticized late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and predicted record ratings for the broadcast, and he plans to attend with First Lady Melania Trump.