President Donald Trump made a rare appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, becoming the first sitting president to host the event.
In his remarks, Trump celebrated the honorees Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and George Strait calling them “legendary in so many ways” and emphasizing their global impact.
Trump praised the artists as “among the greatest artists and actors, performers, musicians, singers, songwriters ever to walk the face of the Earth,” highlighting the tribute performances dedicated to them during the show.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has used the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a venue named after a Democratic president as part of his broader critique of what he calls “woke” anti-American culture.
He revealed that he agreed to host the event “at the request of a certain television network” and predicted that the Dec. 23 broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ would achieve record ratings.
Unlike previous presidents, who typically attend the show alongside the honorees, Trump did not participate during his first term. “I have a good memory, so I can remember things, which is very fortunate,” he said. “But just, I wanted to just be myself. You have to be yourself.”
