President Donald Trump hosted the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees in the Oval Office on Saturday evening for a medal-presentation ceremony. The honorees included country music singer George Strait, actor-singer Michael Crawford, actor Sylvester 'Sly' Stallone, and the members of the rock band Kiss.
Trump praised the group, calling them 'the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled' and said they had 'inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans'. The president noted that the medallions had been redesigned by Tiffany and Co, describing them as 'fantastic'.
Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, appointed by Trump in February, stood behind the president during the ceremony. Trump has taken a keen interest in the centre during his second term, having ousted its board of trustees and replacing them with supporters. He has promised to fully renovate the centre's infrastructure.
Trump claimed he was 'about 98% involved' in choosing this year's honorees. The tribute performances will be taped on Sunday and broadcast later in December. Trump is set to host the show, a first for a sitting president, and predicted it would be the 'highest-rated show that they've ever done'.
During the ceremony, Trump joked about his hosting skills, saying, 'I'm sure they'll give me great reviews, right?' and added, 'If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don't think I should be president.'
