Trump presents medals to Kennedy Center honorees in Oval Office ceremony
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump presented his medals to the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees during a ceremony in the Oval Office on Saturday, praising the roster of artists he was deeply involved in electing as “perhaps the most successful and recognized class” ever assembled.
This year’s winners are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, rock band Kiss and actor and singer Michael Crawford.
Trump said they are a group of “incredible people” who represent “the best of American arts and culture” and that “I know most of them and have been a fan of all of them.”
“This is a group of icons whose work and achievements have inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans,” Trump said in a tuxedo. “This is perhaps the most successful and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled.”
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Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center
Trump ignored the Kennedy Center and its flagship awards program during his first term as president. But the Republican has instituted a series of changes since returning to office in January, notably ousting his board of directors and replacing them with GOP supporters who voted for him as board chairman.
Trump also criticized the center’s programming and its physical appearance, and promised to reform both.
The president placed a new medal around the neck of each honoree that was designed, created and donated by jeweler Tiffany & Co., according to the Kennedy and Trump Center.
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It is a golden disc engraved on one side with the image of the Kennedy Center and the colors of the rainbow. On the back the name of the honoree appears along with the date of the ceremony. The medallion hangs from a navy blue ribbon and replaces a large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates that rested on the honoree’s shoulders and chest and had been used since the first honors program in 1978.
Strait, wearing a cowboy hat, was the first to receive his medal. As the country singer began to remove his hat, Trump said, “If you want to keep it on, you can. I think we can do it.” But Strait took it away.
The president said Crawford was a “major Broadway star” for his lead role in the long-running “Phantom of the Opera.” Of Gaynor, he said: “We have the queen of disco, and indeed she was, and no one did it like Gloria Gaynor.”
Trump was effusive about his friend Stallone, calling him a “wonderful” and “spectacular” person and “one of the real, great movie stars” and “one of the great legends.”
Kiss is an “incredible rock band,” he said.
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Songs by honorees Gaynor and Kiss played in the Rose Garden, just outside the Oval Office, as members of the White House press corps waited nearby for Trump to begin the ceremony.
The president said in August that he was “about 98% involved” in choosing the 2025 honorees when he personally announced them at the Kennedy Center, the first list chosen under his leadership. Traditionally, honorees were announced through a press release.
It was unclear how they were chosen. Before Trump, it fell to a bipartisan selection committee.
“These are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation. The greatest we have ever seen,” Trump said. “We can hardly imagine the phenomenon of country music without its king of country, or American disco without its first lady, or Broadway without its ghost – and that was a ghost, let me tell you – or rock and roll without its most popular band in the world, and that’s what they are, or Hollywood without one of its greatest visionaries.”
“Each of you has left an indelible mark on American life and together you have defined entire genres and set new standards for the performing arts,” Trump said.
Trump also attended an annual State Department dinner for honorees on Saturday. In previous years, honorees received their medallions there, but Trump moved the ceremony to the White House.
Trump to host Kennedy Center Honors
Meanwhile, the dazzling Kennedy Center Honors program and its series of speeches and performances tribute to each winner will be taped Sunday at the performing arts center for broadcast later in December on News and Paramount+. Trump will attend the program for the first time as president, accompanied by his wife, first lady Melania Trump.
The president said in August that he had agreed to host the show, and appeared to confirm on Saturday that he would do so, predicting that the broadcast would score its highest ratings as a result. Presidents traditionally attend the program and sit with honorees in the audience. Neither has ever served as a host.
He said he was looking forward to Sunday’s celebration.
“It’s going to be something I believe in, and I’m going to make a prediction: This is going to be the highest-rated show they’ve ever done and they’ve gotten pretty good ratings, but there’s nothing like what’s going to happen tomorrow night,” Trump said.
The president also attacked late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, whose show was briefly suspended earlier this year by ABC following criticism of his comments related to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September.
Kimmel and Trump are harshly critical of each other, and the president periodically mocks Kimmel’s talent as a host. Kimmel has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Academy Award several times.
Trump said he should be able to surpass Kimmel.
“I’ve watched some of the people who hosted. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible,” Trump said. “If I can’t surpass Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president.”