How the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors Turned Into a Stage for Donald Trump

06 December 2025

Sylvester Stallone receives a medal from Donald Trump in the Oval Office, in Washington DC on 6 December. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

This year’s Kennedy Center Honors, America’s most prestigious annual celebration of contributions to the performing arts became a milestone not only for its recipients, but also for a dramatic shift in how the event is run and who controls it. On December 6, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted the gala for the first time, awarding medals to an eclectic lineup of entertainers including George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, KISS, actor-singer Michael Crawford and film icon Sylvester Stallone.

The medal presentation dinner, held in the Oval Office, marked a stark departure from tradition. Previous administrations had generally remained at arm’s length from the Honors beyond ceremonial mention. This time, Trump was visibly front and center introducing honorees, appearing on the red carpet, and overseeing the delivery of newly redesigned Tiffany & Co. medallions.

This hands-on approach was no accident. Earlier in 2025, Trump replaced the entire board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and ousted its longtime president. The new board elected him chairman, enabling him to reshape the institution’s leadership, aesthetic, and symbolic identity.

The list of honorees this year reflects that vision all from mainstream, high-visibility corners of entertainment: country music, disco, classic rock, Hollywood film and Broadway. Notably absent were representatives of classical music, dance, jazz or other disciplines that long defined the Honors’ breadth.

Some recipients welcomed the change. Michael Crawford, who gained fame on Broadway and internationally for starring in musicals like Phantom of the Opera, called the honor “meaningful,” acknowledging that Trump’s support played a role. Members of KISS also expressed that while opinions about the White House vary, the recognition felt genuine.

But the overhaul has triggered unease across the arts community. Longtime critics argue the reshuffling signals a turning point from bipartisan celebration of varied artistic achievement toward a more politicized, culture-war-inflected narrative. Removing classical-arts voices and tightening control over honoree selection has sparked concerns that independent creators and less-commercial disciplines may be sidelined.

This transformation comes alongside major structural changes at the center: a sweeping facility renovation, staff turnover, and declining ticket sales for core resident institutions such as the National Symphony Orchestra. Touring productions have reportedly pulled away, leaving a shadow over the Center’s viability as a major performance hub.

On stage, Trump struck a nostalgic tone praising the honorees as emblematic of “real America,” while criticizing what he called “woke” influences in culture. He even joked about the possibility of renaming the institution after himself and his spouse, a suggestion some Republicans in Congress have publicly entertained.

The 2025 Kennedy Center Honors were filmed for later broadcast. As the world watches, reactions remain polarized. Supporters praise the recognition of entertainers they grew up with big names, big hits, big personalities. Detractors lament what they view as a narrowing of artistic vision and an unsettling merging of cultural accolade and political branding.

Whether this marks a genuine reinvigoration of the Kennedy Center, or the beginning of a deeper redefinition of what passes for “American arts,” remains to be seen. What is clear is that the balance between culture and politics has shifted, and for a historic institution meant to celebrate diversity in artistry, that may prove risky indeed.