President Donald Trump visited the Kennedy Center on Wednesday to announce the 2025 class of Kennedy Center Honorees, marking a new chapter for the prestigious cultural institution following months of significant restructuring under his leadership.
Standing at the historic venue’s opera house, the president expressed his enthusiasm for the honorees, calling them “a truly exceptional class” and promising an evening of “luxury, glamour, and entertainment” when the televised gala takes place later this year.
“This is a very exciting project,” Trump said. “We’re going to do something that will go rapidly, relatively inexpensively, and we’ll make it better than it ever was.”
Honoring Icons Across Music, Film, and Theater
This year’s honorees span multiple genres and generations. Country legend George Strait, dubbed the “King of Country Music,” leads the lineup, with 60 No. 1 country singles and more platinum albums than any artist in history. Actor Michael Crawford, Broadway’s original Phantom of the Opera, was hailed by the president as “one of the greatest talents I’ve ever seen.”
The list also includes Hollywood veteran Sylvester Stallone, praised as both a friend and an “underrated talent” for his Rocky and Rambo franchises; disco queen Gloria Gaynor, whose hit “I Will Survive” Trump said he has heard “thousands of times”; and the rock band KISS, celebrated for their pyrotechnic performances and 100 million album sales.
Transforming the Kennedy Center Under Trump
The announcement comes against the backdrop of a sweeping Trump-era transformation of the Kennedy Center. Earlier this year, the president removed board members appointed by Joe Biden, replacing them with allies. The board soon named Trump chairman and appointed Richard Grenell as interim president.
These moves were part of a broader effort to counter what the White House criticized as “woke” programming and financial mismanagement. The president has pledged to refurbish the venue, from its seating to its decor, stating, “With a little fix-up and a little work, we can make it unbelievable.”
Policy Meets Pageantry
The Kennedy Center’s shift under Trump has not been confined to artistic selections. In July, House Republicans advanced legislation to rename the opera house after First Lady Melania Trump. The president has also emphasized aligning the institution’s operations with his broader vision for revitalizing Washington, D.C., highlighting efforts to restore “top-level” prestige to the center’s events.
Breaking from his first-term decision to skip the Honors after some recipients criticized him, Trump this year embraced the opportunity to host. “Do you believe what I have to do?” he joked, before referring to the event as the “Trump/Kennedy Center Awards” with a smile.
Linking Culture to National Renewal
Trump framed the Kennedy Center revival as part of a larger mission to “make Washington safe, clean, and beautiful again.” He cited ongoing projects, including a White House renovation and the deployment of federal law enforcement and the National Guard to address crime in the nation’s capital.
“The bones are so good,” the president said of the Kennedy Center, insisting that the institution had been “run down” before his intervention. “We have completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution.”
Looking Ahead to December’s Gala
The Kennedy Center Honors, directed and produced by CBS, will air in December, with millions of viewers expected to watch the star-studded evening celebrating artistic excellence.
The president closed his remarks by expressing confidence in both the honorees and the revamped institution: “These are outstanding people, an outstanding group — incredible. We can’t wait to celebrate.”
