Trump to Host 2025 Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony
- The New York Editorial Desk - Arif
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
Tone & Political Bias: Moderately Right-Leaning
Why: Focuses on Trump’s efforts to reshape a cultural institution in line with his policies, highlighting actions against “woke” programming and promoting his personal vision.
Trump Confirms Hosting Role
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will host this year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony.“It’s going to be a big evening. I’ve been asked to host,” Trump said during the announcement of the 2025 honorees.
Trump noted he initially declined the invitation, saying, “I don’t care. I’m president of the United States. I won’t do it.” He added that he agreed after repeated requests, stressing, “I did not insist.”
The White House has not provided details on whether Trump will serve as the event’s emcee. Past hosts have included Queen Latifah in 2024 and David Letterman in 2021.
2025 Honorees Announced
The honorees for this year’s ceremony are:
George Strait – singer
Michael Crawford – actor and comedian
Sylvester Stallone – actor
Gloria Gaynor – singer
Kiss – rock band
Changes at the Kennedy Center
Since starting his second term, Trump has taken significant steps to reshape the Kennedy Center.
February 2025: Trump fired several board members and appointed himself chair of the Board of Trustees.
Policy Direction: He pledged to end “woke political programming” and focus on what he called “the brightest stars” in American performing arts.
In a Truth Social post earlier this year, Trump criticized past events, citing drag performances targeting youth. He described the Kennedy Center as “an American Jewel” and promised that “the best is yet to come.”
Planned Renovations
Trump announced that Congress has approved funding to renovate the Kennedy Center’s main performance hall.
Seating: All seats will be replaced.
Upgrades: The performance space will be “completely rebuilt.”
Push to Rename the Kennedy Center
Trump has expressed support for House Republicans’ proposal to rename the Kennedy Center after First Lady Melania Trump.
Legal Concerns: Such a change could violate the federal law that established the Kennedy Center.
Trump’s Comment: On Truth Social, he joked about the name change, referring to the “TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER” before correcting himself.
Influence on Cultural Institutions
The president’s influence extends beyond the Kennedy Center:
Smithsonian Review: The White House confirmed it is reviewing Smithsonian exhibitions to ensure alignment with Trump’s view of history.
White House Renovations: Trump is overseeing renovations to the Rose Garden and the White House ballroom.
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