In a break from tradition, former US President Donald Trump welcomed the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees to the Oval Office for a special medal ceremony on Saturday, 6 December. The event saw iconic figures from film and music, including Sylvester Stallone and the rock band Kiss, receive their accolades directly from the president.
A Star-Studded Oval Office Gathering
The honourees for the evening were country music legend George Strait, actor and singer Michael Crawford, Hollywood icon Sylvester “Sly” Stallone, and the members of the rock group Kiss. Trump, addressing the gathering, hailed it as a "great honour" to welcome them to what he called the "world-famous, most powerful office in the world." He praised the group for having "inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans," labelling them the most accomplished class of honourees ever assembled.
Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, a Trump appointee who also serves as a special envoy to Latin America, observed the proceedings. Trump noted that the medallions presented had been "re-designed" by luxury jewellers Tiffany & Co., a company he said he knew well due to its proximity to Trump Tower in New York.
Trump's Renewed Focus on the Kennedy Center
The ceremony marks a significant shift in the relationship between the presidency and the prestigious arts institution. Trump did not visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during his first term nor participate in its awards programme. Since returning to office, however, he has taken a keen interest, overhauling the centre's board of trustees with supporters and pledging a full renovation of its infrastructure to make it a "crown jewel" of US arts and culture.
The selection process for this year's honourees has raised some questions, though Trump stated in August, when announcing the list, that he had been "about 98% involved" in the choices.
A Presidential First for the Broadcast
The main Kennedy Center Honors tribute performances are scheduled to be taped on Sunday, 7 December, for broadcast later in the month. In a departure from precedent, Trump confirmed he would personally host the television show, an act no sitting president has undertaken before. "We never had a president hosting the awards before, this is a first," Trump remarked during the Oval Office ceremony.
He confidently predicted the broadcast would achieve record ratings, joking about his potential performance compared to previous hosts. "I've watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible," Trump quipped. "If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don't think I should be president."
The event underscores the former president's continued engagement with cultural institutions and his preference for direct, personal involvement in ceremonies typically marked by a more detached presidential presence.
