President personally hosts the annual gala for the first time in U.S. history.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump honored this year’s Kennedy Center Honorees during a medal presentation dinner at the State Department on Saturday evening, calling the group “some of the greatest of all time” and confirming that he would personally host Sunday night’s televised gala.
The 2025 honorees include actor Sylvester Stallone, legendary singer Gloria Gaynor, country music star George Strait, the rock band Kiss, and actor Michael Crawford. Speaking at the event, Trump thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio for hosting and praised the recipients as icons whose contributions have “uplifted millions.”
“This is really pure talent — as much talent as has ever been assembled under one roof,” Trump said while speaking. “We’ve done something that they’ve never done before, and I’ll be doing something that hasn’t been done before — the President of the United States is hosting, at the request of a certain television network.”
“I’m doing it because I feel it’s very important that we all get out and do something,” he continued. “These are some of the greatest of all time. Congratulations to all of you.”
Earlier in the day, Trump presented the recipients with their medals in the Oval Office, describing them as “a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired and uplifted millions of people,” according to CBS News.
Trump, who appointed himself Chairman of the Kennedy Center earlier this year, announced the new class of honorees in August — breaking with tradition by personally revealing their names rather than leaving the announcement to the Kennedy Center.
According to NPR, the gala will be turned into a broadcast special airing later this month on CBS and Paramount+, marking the first time a sitting president has hosted the event.
The evening underscored Trump’s renewed emphasis on celebrating American cultural achievement while reshaping longstanding Washington traditions — blending presidential ceremony with a direct, personal tribute to five of the entertainment industry’s most enduring figures.
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