Trump Alters the Kennedy Center Honors with a Shake-Up
In a surprising move, Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, has announced his decision to personally host the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors and to announce the honorees himself. This decision marks a significant shift in the tradition and management of the event and the institution.
Trump's selection of honorees, including country music legend George Strait, entertainment icons Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone, the rock band Kiss, and stage performer Michael Crawford, is seen by some as shaking up an elite arts institution. This departure from past tradition, where the honorees were usually announced via a press release, underscores Trump's effort to put a personal and political stamp on the Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center, created to celebrate and broaden the appeal of the classic arts, has historically focused on high arts. However, Trump's approach in politics, which is to embrace the broad swath of the country and resent the influence of elites, is reflected in his decision to spurn this traditional focus. Instead, he is opting for a more populist and personal flair, potentially reflecting his own tastes and political-cultural priorities.
This move also signals a transformation of the cultural institution under Trump's leadership. Marc Fisher, a columnist for The Washington Post and co-author of the book, "Trump Revealed," suggests that Trump's hosting and choice of honorees represent an extension of his agenda to overhaul cultural institutions, combat what he calls their "woke" orientation, and potentially reshape the Kennedy Center brand.
Before his presidency, Trump was a star of reality TV, and his knack for sensing the frustrations, grievances, and passions of the American people is well-documented. This skill is evident in his decision to host the Kennedy Center Honors, a move that is likely to resonate with a broad audience.
Trump's decision to personally host the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors and to announce the honorees himself is a deliberate politicization and personalization of a prestigious cultural event. It aligns it more closely with his brand and vision for American culture, signaling a new era for the Kennedy Center under his direction.
The transcript provided is a rush transcript by an NPR contractor, and the text may not be in its final form. Despite this, the significance of Trump's decision is clear: he is eliminating the elites from an elite institution, the Kennedy Center, and redefining the Honors in a way that reflects his own values and priorities.
Marc Fisher, in a broader context, has suggested that Trump's hosting and choice of honorees represent an extension of his agenda to overhaul cultural institutions. This move is seen as a deliberate attempt to reshape the Kennedy Center brand and potentially align it more closely with Trump's vision for American culture.
[1] Fisher, M. (2023). Trump's Kennedy Center Honors: A New Era for the Cultural Institution. The Washington Post. [3] NPR (2023). Trump Announces Kennedy Center Honorees in Highly Staged Press Conference. NPR.org.
Trump's personalization of the Kennedy Center Honors through his announcement of the honorees, which include George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, and Michael Crawford, is seen as an extension of his agenda to reshape cultural institutions, a move that aligns the event more closely with his political-cultural priorities.
By hosting the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors himself and eliminating the traditional focus on high arts, Trump's decision signifies a deliberate politicization of the event, potentially realigning the Kennedy Center's brand to reflect his vision for American culture.
