President Trump hosted the 48th Kennedy Center Honors December 7 in Washington, recognizing the careers of five legendary performers who have entertained millions.
“It gives me tremendous pleasure to congratulate them … and say thank you for your incredible career,” Trump said at a State Department dinner the evening before the awards gala. “Thank you for gracing us with this wisdom and this genius that you have.”
“One of the great American exports is our culture and our talent,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
The 2025 honors went to disco queen Gloria Gaynor, best known for her hit, “I Will Survive;” action movie icon Sylvester Stallone, star of the Rocky and Rambo movies; and country singer George Strait, who has scored a top 10 hit every year for 30 years. The rock band Kiss, which sold over 100 million records, and British actor and Broadway star Michael Crawford also received the award.
The Kennedy Center Honors airs December 23 on CBS.