Trump to host ‘non-woke' 2025 Kennedy Center Honors with Kiss, Stallone and Gloria Gaynor
The honorees — country singer George Strait, Broadway actor Michael Crawford, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and actor Sylvester Stallone — reflect what Trump described as a move away from 'woke' culture toward a more 'mainstream' American celebration.
The ceremony, traditionally hosted by the Kennedy Center and aired annually on CBS, will now feature Trump himself as emcee.
'I didn't want to do it, but they're going to say I insisted — I did not insist,' Trump said during the announcement, held at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, Aug. 13. 'But I think it will be quite successful. I used to host 'The Apprentice' finales, and we did rather well with that.'
Trump, who did not attend the Honors during his first term, has taken an assertive approach in reshaping the center during his second.
Within weeks of his inauguration, he dismissed dozens of board members, appointed himself chairman and initiated renovations to 'restore prestige and grandeur.'
He also canceled LGBTQ+-related programming and other events deemed 'woke,' leading to significant backlash from artists and arts organizations.
In his remarks, Trump described himself as '98% involved' in the honoree selection, claiming to have rejected several names he considered too politically left.
'They were too woke,' he said. 'I had a couple of wokesters.'
The 2025 Kennedy Center Honors are scheduled to air in December on CBS.
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