Trump Presents Medals to 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees

President Donald Trump presented medals to the 2025 class of Kennedy Center honorees during a ceremony in the Oval Office on December 6, recognizing their lifetime contributions to American performing arts. The recipients included actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, country music star George Strait, the rock band KISS, and stage performer Michael Crawford.

Trump described the group as icons whose work has inspired, uplifted, and unified millions of Americans. "This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled," he said. He praised each individually, calling Strait the king of country music, Gaynor the disco queen who "nobody did it like," Crawford a great star of Broadway and the Phantom of the Opera, Stallone one of the true great movie stars, and KISS an incredible rock band and the hottest in the world. The president noted that together, they have defined entire genres and set new standards for the performing arts.

The medals, newly designed and donated by Tiffany & Co., replaced the traditional rainbow ribbon necklace with three gold plates. This change is part of broader reforms Trump has introduced since...