As the chairman of the Kennedy Center, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that singer Gloria Gaynor, Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone, and country music artist George Strait were among the first round of nominees for the Kennedy Center Honors. He added that he would host the awards ceremony.
Actor-singer Michael Crawford and the rock group KISS are the other two awardees.
With NBC 7, you can watch San Diego News for free, anywhere, at any time.
When questioned about his involvement in the nomination process, Trump told reporters that he was “98%” active and that he “turned down plenty.” They were too forward.
During his first administration, Trump shunned the Kennedy Center Honors awards ceremony when artists protested by refusing to attend. The Kennedy Center’s new chairman, a Republican, dismissed the board of trustees and replaced them with supporters this year.
With our News Headlines email, you can receive the best local San Diego stories every morning.
Trump hinted that the center, once known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, will be renamed and returned to its former splendor in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.
Fantastic nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER Awards, sorry, this is the Kennedy Center, Trump wrote. He claimed that renovations were underway to restore the location to the highest possible standard of opulence, entertainment, and elegance.
Physically, he added, “It had fallen on hard times, but I will be making a major comeback soon.”
The Kennedy Center hinted that Trump might announce a development project in a statement posted on its social media account, saying it is an honor to host the president for the third occasion since January.
The venue stated, “Our stunning building will undergo renovations to restore its prestige and grandeur thanks to his advocacy.” We are also thrilled to announce the Kennedy Center Honorees for this year, who are INCREDIBLE.
During a visit in March, Trump bemoaned the building’s extreme state of decay.
Although Trump had stated he desired a more active role, it remains unclear how this year’s awardees were selected. The awardees, who have historically included Stephen Sondheim, Aretha Franklin, Tom Hanks, and George Balanchine, are chosen by a bipartisan advisory council. On Tuesday, the Kennedy Center press office did not reply a message inquiring about the selection process for this year’s honorees.
However, the Kennedy Center did share this on social media: Soon to Come… An Englishman, a dance queen, a country music legend, a rock band from New York City, and an actor worth billions of dollars enter the Kennedy Center Opera House.
Trump has previously suggested giving singer-songwriter Paul Anka and Sylvester Stallone, one of the three celebrities he selected as Hollywood ambassadors earlier this year, Kennedy Center Honors designation. Anka abruptly canceled her planned performance of “My Way” at Trump’s first inauguration.
Since its founding in 1978, a wide variety of performers have received the Kennedy Center Honors. Even if they had political differences with a particular recipient, presidents of both major parties had always attended the annual event until Trump’s first term.
Renaming the Kennedy Center for Donald and Melania Trump would violate the law
World Pride events pulled from Kennedy Center for LGBTQ+ safety
Trump takes over Kennedy Center, names Lee Greenwood, Usha Vance, 12 others to board
The government of Republican George W. Bush celebrated prominent liberals like Barbara Streis and Warren Beatty, whereas the administration of Democrat Bill Clinton honored a prominent conservative, Charlton Heston.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump chose not to attend the Kennedy Center event in 2017 when honoree Norman Lear announced he would not go to a White House party in protest of Trump’s proposed cuts to federal arts spending. He stayed away from the event for the whole of his first term. During that period, Trump detractors like Cher, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Sally Field were among the honorees.
Trump has imposed his will on the Kennedy Center and become involved in its management since he was elected president a second time. In addition to recreating the board and designating himself as chairman, he has promised to stop drag performances at the center and said he would take over programming selections.
Some artists have continued to criticize the steps. Citing Trump’s forceful takeover of the institution’s leadership, the producers of Hamilton said in March that they will not be producing the Broadway blockbuster musical in 2026. Actor Issa Rae, singer Rhiannon Giddens, and writer Louise Penny are among the other artists who have canceled engagements.
Although the Kennedy Center’s Opera House has not yet been renamed in honor of Melania Trump, House Republicans included an amendment to a funding measure President Trump signed into law in July to do so. A rival House proposal to rename the entire center after Trump has been blasted as crazy by Maria Shriver, a Democrat and niece of the late President Kennedy.
In recognition of the variety of abilities that are included in the performing arts, Kennedy Center Honors recipients get a medallion on a rainbow ribbon. The center replaced its long-standing rainbow exterior lights with a permanent red, white, and blue display in April.
___
Reporting from New York was Italie. This article was written by Darlene Superville of the Associated Press in Washington.
