Photo Credit: BBC
Trump’s Kennedy Center honorees include KISS, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, and actors Michael Crawford and Sylvester Stallone.
On Sunday night at the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors, President Trump took center stage to host the institution’s awards show as he continues to overhaul programming and plan renovations.
This year’s honorees include country singer-songwriter George Strait, R&B/soul legend Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS, and actors Michael Crawford and Sylvester Stallone. The event will air officially on December 23 at 8 PM ET on CBS and Paramount.
George Strait is a record-setting country artist who has sold more than 120 million records worldwide. In 2006, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Strait previously held the record for the largest ticketed show in U.S. history when he performed at Kyle Field at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, in 2024.
Gloria Gaynor’s biggest hit, “I Will Survive,” has helped cement her role as the queen of disco. In 2016, her recording of “I Will Survive” was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. She has donated to numerous Republican candidates since 2016.
Founded in 1973, glam rock band KISS is known for their elaborate stage shows and iconic costumes. They earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. KISS’ original lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, passed away in October; his daughter, Monique Frehley, received her late father’s medal during Trump’s awards ceremony.
Actor Sylvester Stallone is best known as boxer Rocky Balboa in the Rocky series, but he’s become a lot more political in recent years. Trump named him one of three “Special Ambassadors” to Hollywood back in January, and Stallone endorsed Trump during the 2024 campaign.
Broadway alumnus Michael Crawford is best known for his starring role in “The Phantom of the Opera,” one of Trump’s favorite musicals. He earned a Tony Award for Best Actor for the role in 1988. Prior to his Broadway success, the English actor played ringmaster and businessman P.T. Barnum in the 1986 film Barnum.
Trump notably skipped the honors during his first term, but said he was “98% involved” in picking this year’s slate of honorees, having personally rejected some he felt were too “woke.” The president also continues to state publicly that people may start referring to the performing arts center as the “Trump Kennedy Center.”
