President Trump Honors 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees in Oval Office Ceremony

In a notable departure from tradition, President Donald Trump presided over the presentation of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors medals within the historic setting of the Oval Office. The ceremony, held on a Saturday in December, brought together a distinguished group of American artists recognized for their lifetime contributions to the nation's cultural landscape. This event underscores a new chapter for the prestigious awards program, reflecting the administration's direct involvement in its proceedings and honoring a slate of performers personally selected by the President.

The 2025 Honorees: A Celebration of American Icons

The 2025 class of Kennedy Center Honorees represents a diverse cross-section of American entertainment. The recipients are actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, country music icon George Strait, the iconic rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford, renowned for his role in "The Phantom of the Opera." President Trump hailed the group as "incredible people" who represent the "very best in American arts and culture," adding that he had been a fan of all of them. He further described them as a group of icons whose work has "inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans," and suggested this might be "the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled."

A Presidential Takeover and New Traditions

The 2025 ceremony highlights a significant shift in the relationship between the presidency and the Kennedy Center. After largely ignoring the institution during his first term, President Trump has instituted sweeping changes since returning to office. According to a report from the Associated Press, these changes included ousting its board of trustees and replacing them with supporters, while also criticizing the center's programming and vowing an overhaul. A tangible symbol of this new era is the medal itself—a gold disc designed and donated by Tiffany & Co., replacing the previous rainbow ribbon design. Furthermore, Trump moved the traditional medal presentation from a State Department dinner to the White House, centralizing the honor within the executive branch.

Ceremony Highlights and Personal Tributes

The Oval Office ceremony was filled with personal moments as the President placed the new medals around each honoree's neck. He offered individual praise, noting George Strait's status as the "king of country" and Gloria Gaynor's reign as the "disco queen." He celebrated Michael Crawford as a "great star of Broadway" and Kiss as an "incredible rock band." His tribute to longtime friend Sylvester Stallone was particularly effusive, calling him a "wonderful" person and "one of the true, great movie stars." The President revealed he was "about 98% involved" in choosing the honorees, a process that traditionally fell to a bipartisan committee, signaling a hands-on approach to cultural recognition.

Looking Ahead: The Honors Gala and Broader Implications

The weekend's events culminated with the taping of the glitzy Kennedy Center Honors gala for broadcast. In another break with precedent, President Trump announced he would serve as host of the television special, a role never before filled by a sitting president, who typically attends as a guest. He predicted the move would result in the highest ratings in the program's history. The ceremony and the surrounding changes reflect the administration's broader aim to reshape national cultural institutions, positioning the presidency as a central arbiter of artistic achievement and celebration.