WASHINGTON (AP) — On Saturday, President Donald Trump hosted the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees in the Oval Office for a medal presentation ceremony that marks a dramatic change from his previous administration. This year’s distinguished recipients include actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the iconic rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford.
Unlike his first term, during which he neglected the Kennedy Center and its esteemed awards program, Trump has since returned to reshape the organization. Notable changes include ousting the former board of trustees and stacking it with supporters from his own party.
In a move to further assert his influence, Obama stated he was “about 98% involved” in selecting this year’s honorees, a departure from the bipartisan committee model that historically guided the process.
Later, Trump attended a State Department dinner for the honorees—a setting that has typically served as the platform for presenting medallions—though he chose to bring the ceremony to the White House earlier in the day.
As the Kennedy Center honors are being taped on Sunday for a later broadcast on CBS and Paramount+, Trump will participate as president for the first time, alongside First Lady Melania Trump. This participation raises eyebrows as sitting presidents have traditionally attended but not hosted the prestigious event.
“I’ve been asked to host. I said, ‘I’m the president of the United States. Are you fools asking me to do that?’” Trump remarked, recalling his initial reluctance to take on the hosting role, a tradition fraught with political implications.
Trump’s visit also coincided with his participation in the FIFA World Cup draw and the acceptance of the inaugural peace prize, along with high-level discussions with leaders from Canada and Mexico.
