BREAKING: Trump to host Kennedy Center Honors after REJECTING ‘wokesters’ being considered as honorees

Trump said that he had been asked to host, to which he recalled saying, "Are you fools asking me to do that?" He was told that he would get "much higher ratings," to which he replied, "I don’t care. I’m President of the United States. I won’t do it." He said that Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff, requested that he do it, to which he said, "Okay Susie, I'll do it. That's the power she's got."

Trump was asked how involved he was in selecting this year’s honorees, to which he said he was "about 98 percent involved." He added, "I turned down plenty. I had a couple of wokesters."

Among those honorees at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors is George Strait, Michael Crawford, Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, and Kiss. "The 48th Kennedy Center honorees are outstanding people, outstanding group, incredible." He joked at one point of the award, "I wanted one, I was never able to get one," later adding, "I would’ve taken it if they would’ve called me. I waited and waited and waited and said the hell with it, I’ll become Chairman."

"Over an extraordinary four-decade career, George Strait has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, amassed 60 number one hits, wow, and produced 33 platinum certified albums, more than any other living American. That is amazing," Trump said of Strait. "He’s believed by millions of people to just be as good as you can get, and he’s beloved by hundreds of millions of people all over the world. He’s really something."

Trump said of Crawford, "I think he’s one of the greatest talents I’ve ever actually seen… He’s won so many awards. Michael is truly a generational talent, had a voice that was so unbelievable."

Of Stallone, Trump said, "he's become a legend of the silver screen, a true legend, and he's a great guy. It's a little bit tough, little bit different, I will tell you, he's a little tough guy, but he's a phenomenal person with a phenomenal wife and family, incredible wife, incredible family. His films grossing more than 7.5 billion, which is either a record or very close to it. I can't imagine anybody doing more."

Trump called Gaynor "one of the most revered singers of the American disco era," and said of her hit song I Will Survive, "I will say I Will Survive is an unbelievable song. I’ve hear it, you know, like everyone else here thousands of times, and it’s one of those few that get better every time you hear it, and nobody can sing it like her." Also being honored is rock band Kiss, which Trump called "one of the greatest rock bands of all time," and its members "great people." This is a breaking story. Please refresh the page for updates.