In a ceremony held Saturday night at the White House, President Donald J. Trump personally presented the 2025 class of Kennedy Center honorees with their gold medals, celebrating a group of performers and artists he described as “some of the greatest of all time.”
Honorees, New Medals, and a Changed Tradition
The 2025 honorees include legendary names from across the entertainment landscape:
- George Strait — country music icon
- Gloria Gaynor — disco and soul singer
- KISS — rock band, represented by surviving members
- Sylvester Stallone — Hollywood actor and cultural figure
- Michael Crawford — Broadway star and veteran performer
This year’s medals were redesigned: instead of the traditional rainbow-ribbon medallions, honorees received new gold discs suspended on navy-blue ribbons, crafted and donated by jewelers Tiffany & Co..
Standing in the Oval Office wearing a tuxedo, Trump praised the honorees for their immense contributions to American culture. He called them “a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted, and unified millions and millions of Americans.”
Of the medallist class, Trump said:
“This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled.”
He added that hosting the upcoming televised gala marked a first never before has a sitting president served as host of the televised Kennedy Center Honors show.
The decision to hold the medal presentation at the White House represents a notable break from tradition. Usually, honorees receive their awards during the gala at the Kennedy Center or the related dinner. This year, the Oval Office served as the venue for the formal medal bestowal.
After the presentation, President Trump attended the annual State Department dinner for the honorees another departure from past protocols.
The full Kennedy Center Honors gala featuring performances and tribute segments is scheduled for Sunday night. According to White House and Kennedy Center officials, the show will be broadcast later this month on major networks.
Supporters and fans across America are already anticipating the broadcast, which could draw large audiences given this year’s widely celebrated and diverse honoree lineup.
This year’s Honors ceremony and how it was conducted underscore two key shifts in American cultural politics:
A redefinition of tradition: The venue change and presidential hosting role reflect broader changes under the current administration’s leadership of the Kennedy Center.
Celebration of cross-generational artistry: The 2025 honorees span genres from country and rock to disco, film, and Broadway — showing an embrace of diverse artistic legacies in American popular culture.
Whether viewed as a rejuvenation of a time-honored American institution or as a reinvention, the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors have already sparked broad conversation. As the gala airs in the coming weeks, audiences will be watching closely.
