Trump Announces Kennedy Center Honorees

President Donald Trump announced the honorees of the 48th Kennedy Center Honors on Wednesday, which are country music singer and songwriter George Strait, disco icon Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS, Broadway actor Michael Crawford, and film star Sylvester Stallone. 

The Details: Trump stated that he had approved the final list of honorees himself, rejecting any candidates he considered “too woke.” He also announced he will host the Kennedy Center Honors this year. The Kennedy Center Award is meant to honor lifetime achievements in the performing arts and will take place on December 7. 

For Context: In February, Trump made himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and replaced its historically bipartisan board with his own appointees. Trump selected his former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, to lead the institution. 

How the Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) focused on Trump's influence over the Kennedy Center, writing that it is “another step in his cultural takeover of Washington and its institutions.” The article also placed the announcement in the context of Trump’s review of Smithsonian Museums and his recent decision to take control of the Washington police department. Reuters (Center) mentioned Trump’s proposed renovations to the Kennedy Center, and described Trump’s role in choosing this year’s honorees as a “stamp on American culture and institutions to align them closer with his preferences.” The New York Post (Lean Right) provided a detailed account of Trump's affection for each of the honorees, focusing on his recounting of Stallone’s success in the "Rocky" series and his praise for Gaynor's song “I Will Survive.”

Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission. Suggest an improvement to this summary.