George Strait Named By Trump As A Kennedy Center Honoree

The Kennedy Center has officially announced its 48th class of honorees—celebrating artists “whose work has shaped our cultural landscape” and advanced “the power of the arts.”

The night before the reveal, the Kennedy Center teased the lineup on X (formerly Twitter) with a playful clue: “A country music icon, an Englishman, a New York City rock band, a dance queen, and a multi-billion-dollar actor walk into the Kennedy Center Opera House.”

On Wednesday, August 13, the announcement came from none other than President Donald Trump, who currently serves as chair of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees.

This year’s honorees are:

• George Strait – Country music legend

• Michael Crawford – Stage actor best known for The Phantom of the Opera

• Sylvester Stallone – Iconic film actor and filmmaker

• Gloria Gaynor – Disco pioneer and “I Will Survive” hitmaker

• KISS – Legendary rock band from New York City

Trump’s Remarks on George Strait

Trump opened by promising that the 48th Kennedy Center Honors would move “rapidly, relatively inexpensively, and will make it better than it ever was.” He revealed he had been asked to host this year’s event, which will air on CBS on December 22, joking, “Can you believe what I have to do?”

Turning to George Strait, Trump praised the country superstar’s extraordinary four-decade career:

“George has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, amassed 60 No. 1 hits—wow—and produced 33 platinum-certified albums, more than any other living American.”

Calling Strait “the King of Country,” Trump added:

“He is beloved by hundreds of millions of people all over the world… just as good as you can get.”

📺 Watch Trump’s full remarks here:

Trump’s Role as Chair of the Kennedy Center

On February 12, Donald Trump was unanimously elected chair of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees after removing President Biden’s appointees and dismissing several officials.

In their place, Trump appointed a new roster of members, including U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Second Lady Usha Vance, country music star Lee Greenwood, and Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

Also on the board is HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of the center’s namesake, who serves as an ex officio member as designated by Congress. Following tradition, First Lady Melania Trump holds the honorary chair position.

During a March 17 board meeting, Trump framed the Kennedy Center as a key part of his broader effort to revitalize the nation’s capital:

“It’s a very big part of the fabric of Washington, D.C., and we’re going to make our capital great again, just like we’re going to make our country great again.”

That same day, in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning (aired March 30), Trump revealed that his plans go beyond programming changes.

“We’ll make a lot of changes, including the seats, the décor, pretty much everything. It needs a lot of work.”

Still, critics have raised concerns about the future of programming and artistic freedom under his leadership. In audio obtained by CBS, Trump suggested that upcoming honorees at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors should be “slightly more conservative.”