• Trump names honorees including George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, KISS, Gloria Gaynor, and Michael Crawford for the Kennedy Center Honors.
• This year's ceremony will be hosted by Trump, marking his first time in the role as chairman of the center.
• Plans for a major renovation of the Kennedy Center have been announced, aimed at restoring its prestige.
• Trump claimed involvement in the selection process, stating he rejected candidates he deemed "too woke."
• Past honorees have included prominent figures across various artistic fields, traditionally attended by U.S. presidents.

President Donald Trump has announced the lineup of honorees for the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, which includes country music star George Strait, action movie star Sylvester Stallone, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS, and English actor Michael Crawford. Trump, who is now the chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, also revealed he would host the awards ceremony this December, a departure from the traditional role typically reserved for comedians or actors, according to Newsweek and Reuters.

During the announcement, Trump expressed his intention to oversee a "full renovation" of the Kennedy Center, which he described as a "crown jewel" of American arts and culture. He emphasized plans to restore its luxury and grandeur, noting that significant funds had been earmarked for this project as part of a recent spending bill, reports Reuters and India Times.

Since his return to office, Trump has taken a hands-on approach to the Kennedy Center, asserting that he was "98% involved" in the selection of this year's honorees, rejecting those he labeled "too woke," a term he has frequently used to criticize perceived liberal ideologies. This indicates a shift from the traditional bipartisan advisory committee that normally selects the recipients, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and HuffPost.

Trump's tenure at the Kennedy Center has not been without controversy; multiple artists have canceled engagements in response to his leadership changes, including the producers of the hit musical "Hamilton." Recently, the Kennedy Center has sought to create a new programming direction more aligned with conservative values, which has drawn criticism from various quarters of the arts community, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.