The Kennedy Center will soon host the 48th Kennedy Center Honors, one of the Washington venue's marquee events. But this time around, President Donald Trump is taking a leading role, after overhauling the cultural center earlier this year.

The annual ceremony celebrates leading American talents. The star-studded event is among the capital's splashiest society gatherings, where the worlds of politics and entertainment collide.

After skipping the event during his first term, Trump has taken a hands-on approach since returning to the White House. The president will emcee the Kennedy Center Honors this year, breaking with tradition and handing out the awards himself. It's only his latest change to the venerated DC institution.

Earlier this year, Trump booted a portion of the Kennedy Center's board of trustees and installed himself as the new chair. The reason for the changes, he wrote in a Truth Social post at the time, was the center's decision to host drag show performances at its venue.

He has also included the building in his widespread renovation plans, and has expressed interest in renaming the center.

Who are this year's Kennedy Center honorees?

This year's honorees include a close ally of the president, as well as a disco songstress, a Broadway star and a lauded rock band. They include:

  • Country crooner George Strait, sometimes called the "King of Country Music."
  • Disco star Gloria Gaynor. She is best known for singing "I Will Survive."
  • Michael Crawford, the original phantom in Broadway's "Phantom of the Opera."
  • Sylvester Stallone, the "Rocky" actor Trump has called a friend.
  • Rock band KISS members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley.

It's not clear how much of a personal hand Trump had in picking the list of recipients, a task usually outsourced to staff inside the center. He did hint at his role in the process, however, noting he had final say on the slate of honorees.

New awards replace signature rainbow sashes

The ceremony's physical awards have become a signature of the event over the years: A rainbow-patterned sash holding three gold medals.

But this year, the awards have a different look. The center announced Tiffany & Co. redesigned and donated the new medals. Gone are the prominent rainbow sashes, replaced by a more minimalist blue. The new medallion it holds features a gold disc etched on one side with a depiction of the Kennedy Center etched on the other. It displays small rainbow colors meant to represent the breadth of the arts.

Who were last year's honorees?

The 2024 honorees included filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, members of the rock band the Grateful Dead, singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt and jazz artist Arturo Sandoval.

Those honorees were announced by the president of the Kennedy Center, rather than then-President Joe Biden, who attended the ceremony.

How to watch the Kennedy Center Honors

The event will not be streamed live, and viewers must wait a few weeks to watch it in full.

CBS will air the ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m. ET. It will be available on the CBS channel and on the Paramount+ platform.

Contributing: Anna Kaufman and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY.

Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump to host Kennedy Center honors. What to know about the 2025 recipients.

Reporting by Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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