Trump Chooses Stallone, Gaynor, KISS for Kennedy Center Honors

President Donald Trump has announced the stars who will be honored at this year’s Kennedy Center gala — and the list says a lot about his style, his politics, and how he views his presidency.

This year’s honorees include “Rocky” star Sylvester Stallone, Broadway legend Michael Crawford, disco queen Gloria Gaynor, country music superstar George Strait, and glam rock band KISS. Unlike the traditional “high culture” selections often associated with the Kennedy Center, these names lean heavily toward mainstream and populist entertainment.

Trump unveiled the list after a motorcade ride to the Kennedy Center, through streets now patrolled by federal agents and military reservists on his orders. While many past presidents have left the honoree selections to an independent panel, Trump says he personally approved the list — even rejecting several names for being “too woke.”

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For his critics, this is another example of Trump reshaping long-standing cultural institutions to fit his “Make America Great Again” agenda. For his supporters, it’s about reclaiming spaces they feel have been dominated for decades by liberal elites in arts, media, and academia.

A Political Statement Through Pop Culture

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Trump has long been a fan of pop culture and skilled at using it to his advantage. He isn’t just attending the gala — he plans to host the televised event himself. The president says he was “about 98 percent involved” in choosing this year’s honorees and admitted he considered giving himself an award.

His critics call this a politicization of the Kennedy Center Honors. They see it as part of a larger strategy to influence what Americans see, learn, and enjoy, pointing to his moves to reshape museum exhibits, university curricula, and even sports culture. Supporters, however, argue he’s giving recognition to figures who connect with everyday Americans, rather than sticking to the preferences of Washington insiders.

Honorees Who Reflect Trump’s Persona

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Many of this year’s honorees share traits Trump seems to admire.

• Sylvester Stallone is known for tough, rule-breaking characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo — qualities Trump openly says he relates to.
• George Strait, the “King of Country,” represents rural America and traditional values, aligning with Trump’s image of connecting to small-town roots.
• Michael Crawford, star of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Barnum,” links to Trump’s love of big-stage productions and his own showman style. Crawford’s role as PT Barnum — famous for blending spectacle and business — has an obvious parallel to Trump’s career.
• KISS is celebrated for flashy, over-the-top performances, echoing Trump’s taste for dramatic presentation.
• Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” could be seen as the soundtrack to Trump’s political life, surviving controversies that might have ended other careers.

Culture Wars at the Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center Honors have gradually shifted toward more popular entertainment over the past few decades, but Trump’s hands-on approach and openly political reasoning mark a sharper turn. Critics say this is part of his broader “cultural warfare” — replacing what he sees as left-leaning voices with ones that better reflect his brand.

Trump, however, says making the honors “our kind of political” will only increase their appeal. Whether it’s viewed as a refreshing break from elitism or as another attempt to centralize cultural control, the move ensures the gala — like much else in his presidency — will be as much about politics as it is about art.