Kennedy Center Honors recipients 2025: From George Strait to Michael Crawford - who will be awarded by Trump
US President
Donald Trump
on Wednesday has named the first batch of Kennedy Center Honors recipients under his leadership as the center's chairman. The list includes country music star George Strait, 'Rocky' actor Sylvester Stallone, singer
Gloria Gaynor
, rock band Kiss and actor-singer
Michael Crawford
.
Trump said he will personally host the awards program.
He also announced plans to fully renovate the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, calling it a future 'crown jewel' of American arts and culture.
'We're going to bring it to a higher level than it ever hit,' Trump said. The upgraded venue will feature in next year's celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary. Trump added that he didn't want to host the program but was invited to do so and agreed.
Trump, who avoided the event during his first term after some artists boycotted in protest, has since taken control of the institution. Earlier this year, he replaced the Kennedy Center's board of trustees with his own appointees.
In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump jokingly referred to change the name for the center to 'Trump/Kennedy Center' and promised to restore it to 'top-level' luxury and glamour.
The post read, " Great Nominees for the Trump/Kennedy Center, whoops, I mean, Kennedy Centre awards.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
You will never turn off your computer again.
planetcapture.io
They will be announced Wednesday. Tremendous work is being done, and money being spent, on bringing it back to the absolute top level of luxury, glamour, and entertainment."
"It had fallen on hard times, physically, but will soon be making a major comeback!!! President DJT."
In a statement on social media, the Kennedy Center said it was 'honored' to host Trump, who was visiting for the third time since January. 'Thanks to his advocacy, our beautiful building will undergo renovations to restore its prestige and grandeur,' the venue said.
During a visit to the building in March, Trump had criticized the venue's condition, calling it in 'tremendous disrepair.'
Trump said he was 'about 98% involved' in selecting this year's honorees, rejecting some candidates he considered 'too woke' or too liberal. He described the artists, including several of his favorites, as 'great people.'
Traditionally, a bipartisan advisory committee has made the selections, but it is unclear how the process was handled this year.
The Kennedy Center Honors, established in 1978, have recognized a wide range of artists, often with presidents from both parties in attendance. Past honorees have included both political allies and opponents of sitting presidents.
During his first term in 2017, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump skipped the event after several recipients, including Norman Lear, said they would not attend in protest of Trump's proposed arts funding cuts.
Since returning to office, Trump has taken a more direct role in the center's governance, including influencing programming decisions and pledging to end performances featuring drag artists.
These moves have drawn criticism from parts of the arts community. In March, the producers of Hamilton withdrew plans to stage the musical at the center in 2026, citing Trump's leadership changes.
In July, House Republicans added an amendment to a spending bill, later signed by Trump, to rename the Kennedy Center's Opera House in honor of Melania Trump. The change has not yet been implemented.
Maria Shriver
, a Democrat and niece of the late President Kennedy, called this move as 'insane.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Travis Hunter's wife Leanna Lenee opened up about how the Jaguars' rookie slid into her DMs while he was in another relationship
Travis Hunter's wife Leanna Lenee reveals what happened when he tried to pursue her initially.(Image via Getty Images) Travis Hunter, the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie, is all set to debut this season in the NFL but his marriage with Leanna Lenee continues to be in the news. Travis Hunter tied the knot with Leanna Lenee just a few weeks ago, but there have already been many speculations about the two heading for a separation. While this remains unconfirmed, Leanna Lenee had once opened up about Travis Hunter approaching her when he had a girlfriend. Travis Hunter's wife, Leanna Lenee, opened up about how the NFL rookie approached her when he was already in another relationship In December 2024, a few months before Travis Hunter tied the knot with Leanna Lenee, she had uploaded a shocking video on TikTok. At that point, Leanna Lenee was getting trolled for being with Travis Hunter and she opened up about why she had said he was 'not her type'. In the video, Leanna Lenee said, "That is not true at all. The real reason [is] because he DMed me when he had a girlfriend." Leanna Lenee added, "I exited the message and he sat there until he was single. I don't do home-wrecking, I'm not a sidepiece, I don't stand for any of those things. I support women, so I would never do that to another woman 'cause I would never want it done to me." Travis Hunter's wife, Leanna Lenee, also spoke about how she later got to know that Travis Hunter had broken up with his then girlfriend and then she started speaking to him. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Resmed AirSense 11 with flat 20% off ResMed Buy Now Undo Soon the two fell in love and by February 2024, Travis Hunter popped the big question to Leanna Lenee on one knee. Fans believe Travis Hunter's wife, Leanna Lenee, has 'wrong intentions' However, Leanna Lenee continues to get trolled as many fans believe she tied the knot with Travis Hunter for his wealth and not for love. Both Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee have defended their relationship multiple times but it has not helped the situation. As for their divorce rumours, both Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee have maintained silence about it. Also Read: Taylor Swift spent $197 million in 2024 generously while balancing life between Travis Kelce and the Eras Tour Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Did Cardi B hint at a new feud with Nicki Minaj? Her new track raises eyebrows as Stefon Diggs remains silent
Cardi B's new single has sparked chaos among fans.(Image via Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images; Theo Wargo/Getty) Cardi B and Stefon Diggs are the new popular couple in the world of the NFL and music. While Cardi B is gearing up for the release of her new album, she recently released her latest single, 'Imaginary Playerz,' which samples a track by popular rapper Jay-Z. But it seems the release of the new track has raised eyebrows among fans, and many have pulled Nicki Minaj into the drama. Cardi B's new single has sparked chaos among fans as Nicki Minaj is pulled into the drama Cardi B's newly released single, 'Imaginary Playerz,' is already a hit among fans but many are left wondering is some of the lyrics are indicating towards her feud with Nicki Minaj. For instance, the lyrics are, 'My flop and your flop is not the same/ If you did my numbers, y'all would pop champagne/ If I did your numbers, I would hop out a plane.' This has sparked a major confusion among fans. A fan by the username @anneluvreup wrote, 'She trynna get Nicki but I don't think she can reach her. Maybe in the next song.' Another fan by the username @CMPunkWWEFan wrote, 'I think she means 15 minutes of fame are up which clearly isn't about Nicki '. Fans are left confused by Cardi B's new single.(Image via X) A third fan by the username @GrandPianoBarb wrote, 'I don't think she would basically talk about someone who has lasted in this brutal industry for 15+ years and go and talk about how she's legendary and how they'll remember her. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Puchong: New Two Bed Senior Apartments Are Stunning! (See the price overview) AskLayers Learn More Undo She must mean 15 minutes of fame.' Another fan by the username @tezzminaj posted, 'The way this can't be about Nicki in no way shape or form! Nicki was already a legend when she got her 1st hit Nicki been running the game for over 15 years! This about ice spice for sure' A fifth fan by the username @SisiTola1 noted, 'She wants the hiss moment so bad, Nicki is going to pay her dusty', while another by the username @Vincent_Altino posted, 'everyone keeps saying this is directed at nicki but isn't it obvious she's talking about ice spice??? like that doesn't even make sense if it was about nicki.' Neither Nicki Minaj nor Cardi B has responded to the speculations yet. Stefon Diggs has not commented on Cardi B's new track yet A few days ago, Cardi B spoke about the newly released track on X Spaces as she said, 'I was so happy because you guys understand, the song is kinda long… This song is like a staple for me and I had to get it approved by the one and only.' Stefon Diggs, the star player of the New England Patriots, has also remained silent about his girlfriend's new song as he gears up for the upcoming season. Also Read: Cardi B breaks silence on Taylor Swift's album announcement near her own release date, sparking panic among fans Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Exactly what we wanted': Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes reveal a hidden moment during daughter Golden Raye's birth
'Exactly what we wanted': Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes reveal a hidden moment during daughter Golden Raye's birth (Image Via Google) Patrick Mahomes recently shared a simple and honest moment about the birth of his daughter, Golden Raye. In a teaser clip posted by ESPN on Thursday, August 14, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback explained that he did not miss a single playoff game while Brittany Mahomes was in labor. Patrick Mahomes said Golden was born on January 12, 2024, during the team's bye week and proudly added that Brittany Mahomes handled the delivery 'like a champion.' Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes reveal Golden Raye's birth fit perfectly with playoff schedule Patrick Mahomes said in the video teaser for the Disney+ sports docuseries The Kingdom that he never missed a minute of football during the playoff weekend. As told by the quarterback, Brittany Mahomes went into labor right after one playoff game stopped on January 12, 2024, and Golden Raye was born before their next game began. In the video, Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes laughed as they shared the story. Patrick Mahomes proudly said, 'Brittany crushed it,' and added that he was able to stay in the hospital room and keep watching the games. Brittany Mahomes was seen holding their newborn daughter in the clip while she joked that Golden Raye 'did not smell like her diaper needed to be changed.' The new parents were relaxed and smiling as the moment was caught on camera in the documentary. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ghana: New Senior Apartments (Prices May Surprise You) Senior Apartments | Search Ads Search Now Undo Also Read: Travis Kelce Breaks Massive Podcast Record As Taylor Swift Makes Surprise Appearance On New Heights Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes share more family moments and speak about future plans Patrick Mahomes also explained that he and Brittany Mahomes had talked to the Kansas City Chiefs medical staff before the season started. They asked about the team's bye week and hoped that it would line up with the due date. Patrick Mahomes said in the teaser that everything went 'exactly as we hoped' and that Golden Raye was born during the short break between games. Brittany Mahomes had already attended a live game six days after giving birth when the Kansas City Chiefs played the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2024. She wore a cream-colored Chiefs coat that had Patrick Mahomes' number 15 on the side and was cheering on the sidelines. During a press conference later in January, Patrick Mahomes said that three children were 'exactly what we wanted' and that they might consider another baby in the future. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
