Who made it to President Trump’s Kennedy Center Honorees list this year? Slyvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, and more

In a surprising twist on tradition, the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees have just been unveiled by none other than President Trump himself. Rather than your usual ho-hum arts leadership ceremony, Trump personally stepped onto the cultural stage, brandishing velvet-draped portraits and promising a night of “luxury, glamor, and entertainment.”

Among the names gracing this year’s Honorees roster are: midnight-marauding Sylvester Stallone, actor-singer Michael Crawford, country legend George Strait, disco powerhouse Gloria Gaynor, and rock gods Kiss.

No dry press release could contain Trump’s flair as he vowed to “bring it to a higher level than it ever hit,” insisted he’ll host the gala himself, and even floated the idea of renaming the venue after, well, himself. 

A look at President Trump’s Kennedy Center Honorees list this year

Trump’s Kennedy Center Honorees lineup for 2025 is equal parts classic and eyebrow-raising. Here’s the roster he rolled out:

• Sylvester Stallone – The Rocky and Rambo legend - Trump highlighted him as a “multi-billion dollar actor” with a career that punches and perseveres.
• Michael Crawford – The British theater powerhouse best known as the original Phantom of the Opera, a favorite of Trump’s Broadway tastes.
• George Strait – Hailing from Texas and dubbed the “King of Country Music,” Strait boasts more No. 1 hits than anyone across all genres.
• Gloria Gaynor – Disco’s resilient soul, whose anthem “I Will Survive” was lauded by Trump as “one of those few that get better every time.”
• Kiss – The glam-metal mainstays rock it up, complete with face paint and anthemic hooks, an electric nod to classic rock royalty.

Altogether, Trump assembled a quintet that spans genres, decades, and cultural moods, even if all honorees don’t share his political views. For instance, Gene Simmons of Kiss has publicly criticized Trump, while the President has long professed admiration for Crawford’s Broadway presence.

This marks a sharp departure from Trump’s first term, during which he skipped these honors altogether, after several artistes declined to participate in protest. Now, having ousted the traditional board, installed himself as chair, and promised sweeping renovations and a touch of rebranding, he’s very much hands-on.

Interestingly, aspects of the ceremony are already under redesign: Trump’s team is reportedly talking to Tiffany & Co. about refreshed medallions, and traditional events like the State Department dinner could shift to the White House.

So, while the Honorees list includes Stallone, Crawford, Strait, Gaynor, and Kiss, the broader story is about a bold and very political reimagining of a cultural institution long seen as neutral territory.