President Trump made history Saturday by personally awarding Kennedy Center medals to five celebrated artists in an Oval Office ceremony that broke sharply with decades of tradition.
The event marked a dramatic shift for an institution Trump completely ignored during his first term.
Now, after ousting the Kennedy Center’s board and installing GOP supporters who voted him in as chair, he’s putting his personal stamp on what he called “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled.”
This year’s recipients—actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford—received specially designed Tiffany & Co. medals in a ceremony that signals Trump’s complete overhaul of the prestigious arts program.
Trump Takes Control of America’s Premier Arts Honor
The changes extend far beyond just moving the medal ceremony from its traditional State Department dinner location to the White House. Trump revealed in August that he was personally involved in selecting this year’s honorees—a process that previously fell to a bipartisan selection committee.
These are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation. The greatest that we’ve seen.
Wearing a tuxedo, Trump praised each recipient individually during the ceremony. He was particularly effusive about his friend Stallone, calling him a “wonderful” and “spectacular” person and “one of the true, great movie stars.”
Country music legend George Strait—wearing his signature cowboy hat—was first to receive his medal. When Strait started removing the hat, Trump offered to work around it, though the singer ultimately took it off.
A New Medal Design Replaces Iconic Rainbow Ribbon
The honorees received completely redesigned medals created and donated by Tiffany & Co. The new design features a gold disc etched with the Kennedy Center’s image and rainbow colors on one side, with the honoree’s name and ceremony date on the reverse.
The medallion hangs from a navy blue ribbon—a stark departure from the large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates that previously rested on honorees’ shoulders and chest.
Trump acknowledged Crawford as a “great star of Broadway” for his iconic lead role in the long-running “Phantom of the Opera.” Of Gaynor, he declared her the “disco queen” who “nobody did it like.”
Controversy and Resignations Follow Trump’s Takeover
Trump’s overhaul of the Kennedy Center triggered significant backlash. After the White House accused the institution of being “woke” and scrutinized its finances earlier this year, Trump ousted the entire board of trustees and replaced them with Republican supporters.
The dramatic changes prompted several artists to cancel performances and some staff members to resign.
Despite the controversy, Trump remains confident about his impact on the program. He revealed in August that he was “about 98% involved” in choosing the 2025 honorees when he personally announced them at the Kennedy Center—making him the first president to announce honorees in person rather than by press release.
Trump Predicts Record-Breaking Ratings
The president didn’t hold back when making predictions about Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors program, where tribute speeches and performances for each recipient will be taped for broadcast in December on CBS and Paramount+.
I’m going to make a prediction: this will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done and they’ve gotten some pretty good ratings, but there’s nothing like what’s going to happen tomorrow night.
Trump also suggested he would host the show—another break from tradition. Presidents typically attend the program and sit with honorees in the audience, but none has ever served as host.
He and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to attend Sunday’s taping, marking his first appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors program as president.
Setting the Stage Before the Ceremony
Even the atmosphere surrounding Saturday’s ceremony reflected Trump’s personal touch. Songs by honorees Gaynor and Kiss played in the Rose Garden just outside the Oval Office as members of the White House press corps waited for Trump to begin.
Trump framed the honorees as defining figures across multiple entertainment genres:
We can hardly imagine the country music phenomena without its king of country, or American disco without its first lady, or Broadway without its phantom — and that was a phantom, let me tell you — or rock and roll without its hottest band in the world, and that’s what they are, or Hollywood without one of its greatest visionaries.
Whether Trump’s involvement elevates or transforms the Kennedy Center Honors remains to be seen. What’s certain is that America’s premier arts recognition program now bears his unmistakable imprint—for better or worse.