President Trump on Saturday praised the recipients of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, presenting gold medallions bearing their names donated by Tiffany & Co. at the White House.
The honorees are country music star George Strait, filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, British actor/singer Michael Crawford, singer Gloria Gaynor and rock band KISS, including members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss and the daughter of late guitarist Ace Freely.
In a speech after the ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin ballroom, Mr. Trump said the honorees had a tour of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room during their White House visit.
They later celebrated at a dinner reception at the State Department surrounded by family, donors, lawmakers and members of the administration.
“I don’t think you really appreciate your greatness,” Mr. Trump told the honorees, speaking for about 40 minutes ahead of the first course, as he opened the dinner reception. “Decades and even centuries from now, people will watch and honor.”
“They are treasures that will be passed down to future generations,” he said of the honorees. “Your work is so incredible. You’re really sharing a great gift with the world.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Kennedy Center Executive Director Rick Grenell, White House chief of protocol Monica Crowley and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro attended the event.
Most of the attention during the president’s dinner remarks focused on his rebuilding of the Kennedy Center and the new ballroom at the White House.
“I have two jobs, I have a construction job which is really like relaxation for me,” he said. “It’s almost better than resting.”
Mr. Trump said the Kennedy Center is going to be “incredible” in 10 months and spoke about the renovations that have had to be made including a new roof and improving the sound quality.
Mr. Grenell said the president helped save the performing arts center because “from the moment I arrived, the finances were a mess.”
“The Kennedy Center was neglected. It needs to be a place of bipartisanship,” Mr. Grenell said. “People want to come. President Trump makes it a priority.”
However, attendance at Kennedy Center events has fallen since Mr. Trump took control of the venue and dismissed members of its board. Several performers have left the center and cancelled their planned appearances.
The honorees and the president are expected to attend the Kennedy Center Honors gala on Sunday evening, with the red carpet event starting at 4 pm.
First lady Melania Trump is expected to join the president on Sunday. She did not accompany him at the dinner reception on Saturday evening.
