Trump Announces Stallone and KISS as Kennedy Center Honorees, Stating His Intention to Host the Awards Ceremony
Trump Takes Charge of Kennedy Center Honors, Sparks Controversy
Under President Donald Trump's tenure as chairman of the Kennedy Center, the annual Kennedy Center Honors have taken an unexpected turn.
Established in 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors is an annual celebration recognizing lifetime contributions to American performing arts culture. Over the decades, the Honors have celebrated individual artists, duos, groups, and occasionally shows or venues.
This year, Trump announced the recipients of the Honors: George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, Kiss, and Michael Crawford. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Kennedy Center.
Trump's involvement in the Honors has not been without controversy. He initiated a redesign of the iconic Kennedy Center Honors medallions, transferring production from the family-owned Baumgarten Company to Tiffany & Company. This change has elicited disappointment from the original medallion makers and marked a symbolic update under Trump's leadership.
Moreover, Trump has hinted at renaming the Kennedy Center, suggesting a potential name change to the Trump/Kennedy Center. House Republicans added an amendment to a spending bill to rename the Kennedy Center's Opera House after First Lady Melania Trump, but the venue has yet to be renamed.
Trump has also made it clear that he intends to take control of programming decisions at the Kennedy Center, ending events featuring performers in drag. This decision has sparked criticism and debate, with some arguing that it infringes on artistic freedom.
In addition, Trump has replaced the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center with loyalists. This move has raised concerns about the independence and integrity of the institution.
Not all of Trump's choices have been met with criticism, however. Sylvester Stallone is a prominent supporter of Trump and was named by the president as a Hollywood special ambassador. Kiss, another of the Honorees, has had a substantial, even iconic, career in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Trump's selection process for the Honors has also deviated from the traditional bipartisan advisory committee process. Instead, he personally selected all Kennedy Center Honors recipients this year, with consultation from Ric Grenell and Sergio Gor, his handpicked Kennedy Center officials.
The producers of "Hamilton" have pulled out of staging the Broadway hit musical in 2026 due to Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center's leadership. This decision reflects the ongoing tension between Trump's vision for the Kennedy Center and the artistic community's concerns about its future.
Meanwhile, Ace Frehley, a founding member of Kiss, endorsed Trump in 2020, while Paul Stanley, another member of Kiss, has criticized Trump, notably his resistance to accepting his election loss to Joe Biden in 2020.
The Kennedy Center Honors, originally created to celebrate significant artistic figures rather than momentary popular successes, are now at the centre of a political storm under Trump's leadership. The future of this prestigious event remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions about potential name changes and concerns about artistic freedom and independence.
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