Former President Donald Trump has sparked a fresh wave of online commentary after mispronouncing the name of his friend and supporter, actor Sylvester Stallone, during a prestigious awards ceremony. The incident occurred on Saturday, 7 December 2025, as Trump presented Stallone with a medal as part of the Kennedy Center Honorees event.
A Presidential Tongue-Twister at the Oval Office
The 79-year-old former president, known for his history of verbal stumbles, introduced the Rocky star as "a friend of mine, a wonderful person, a really spectacular person, one of the true great movie stars there are." However, he then proceeded to read the actor's surname as "Sallone", dropping the crucial "t" sound. Trump repeated the mispronunciation moments later while placing the honoree's medallion around his neck.
Stallone, also 79, did not visibly react to the error during the Oval Office ceremony. He was being honoured alongside singer Gloria Gaynor, country music legend George Strait, the rock band Kiss, and actor Michael Crawford. Trump, dressed in a tuxedo, hailed the group as "perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled."
Social Media Erupts with Mockery and Critique
Reactions to the flub were swift and merciless on social media platform X. One user pointedly remarked, "Trump is so out of it that he can't even pronounce Sylvester Stallone's name." Another critic suggested, "Trump should have rehearsed. Stallone, NOT Sallone." A third simply noted the phonetic result: "Sly Salone he says."
The criticism extended beyond the specific mispronunciation. Some observers took issue with Trump's overall delivery, with one commenter asking, "Why does every Trump intro sound like he's discovering the person as he's speaking? He introduces people like he's reading off a Hallmark card written at 3 a.m."
Stallone's History of Lavish Praise for Trump
The moment was particularly notable given Stallone's very public admiration for the former president. Following Trump's election victory last year, the actor offered extraordinary praise, calling him a "mythical creature" and "the second George Washington." Stallone said at the time, "Nobody in the world could have pulled off what he pulled off, so I'm in awe."
Earlier in 2025, Stallone was named one of Trump's three "special ambassadors" to Hollywood, a role shared with actors Jon Voight and Mel Gibson, though its specific duties were never formally detailed. The Kennedy Center Honors event, hosted by Trump and featuring performances and tributes, is scheduled for Sunday.
