Donald Trump said Monday that this year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ at 8pm EST. The event is organized by the President of the USA himself.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said he was hosting the event “at the request of the board and pretty much everyone else in America” and invited viewers to judge his performance as master of ceremonies.
“Tell me what you think of my ‘Master of Ceremony’ skills,” Trump wrote. Jokingly, he added: “If it’s really good, would you like me to leave the presidency to make ‘hosting’ a full-time job?”
President Trump’s administration has made sweeping changes to the Kennedy Center, including removing the chairman of the board and the president and replacing them with Trump and one of his allies, former ambassador Richard Grenell.
Last week, the White House announced that the board of trustees had voted to rename the institution the Trump-Kennedy Center.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors, which was recorded earlier this month, marks Donald Trump’s first appearance at the annual event in his two terms in office. He also hosted the celebration, a departure from years past when presidents sat with honorees and watched the show.
Trump promoted the broadcast, saying it would be “a tribute to the true GREATS in entertainment history.” He also wrote, “Tell me what you think of my ‘Master of Ceremony’ skills.
Who are the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors recipients?
Trump announced the list of this year’s honorees in the summer. They are:
- George Strait
- Gloria Gaynor
- KISS: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and the late Ace Frehley
- Michael Crawford
- Sylvester Stallone
How to watch the Kennedy Center Honors
What: President Trump hosts the Kennedy Center Honors, celebrating George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, Kiss, Michael Crawford and Sylvester Stallone.
Date: Tuesday, December 23, 2025
On TV: On CBS TV stations. Find your local station here.
Online Stream: Paramount+
New Kennedy Center Honors medallion
The rainbow ribbons adorned with three gold bricks, which have long been given to honorees, have been replaced this year with new gold medallions.
Designed by Tiffany and Co., each locket has an etched center on one side with iridescent colors running through it. The other side bears the name of each awardee and the date they received the award.
Each medallion hangs from a ribbon that is dark blue, described by the center as “a color associated with dignity and tradition.”
