Trump announced the 2025 honorees at the performing arts center on Wednesday, saying he would also host the event. British actor Michael Crawford and country star George Strait are also set to be recognized.
Actor Sylvester Stallone, disco legend Gloria Gaynor and rock band Kiss will be honored as Kennedy Center Honors recipients, marking the first gala since President Donald Trump’s sweeping changes to Washington’s famed arts institution.
The announcement comes months after Trump removed several members of the Kennedy Center’s bipartisan board, appointed himself chair and declared the institution had become too “woke.” His move prompted numerous entertainers to resign from their posts at the center and led to the cancellation of scheduled performances.
The Kennedy Center Honors — now in its 47th year — is a lifetime achievement award celebrating contributions to American culture through the performing arts. Past recipients include Aretha Franklin, Bono, Meryl Streep, Rita Moreno, Tom Hanks, Paul McCartney, Robert De Niro and LL Cool J.
During his first term, Trump broke with tradition by skipping the annual ceremony after several 2017 honorees criticized him. He made his first appearance at the Kennedy Center as president earlier this year, shortly after taking control of the board.
Following a tour of the venue in March, Trump said he was “disappointed” by what he saw and promised to “fix it up.” In June, he attended the opening night of Les Misérables alongside first lady Melania Trump.
