Trump claims he was '98% involved' in Kennedy Center Honors picks, says he rejected plenty of 'wokesters'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday, August 12, that he drove the selection of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors recipients, saying he was “98% involved” in choosing the awardees and rejecting several candidates for being “too woke.”

Trump unveiled the 2025 honorees, actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, country musician George Strait, Broadway legend Michael Crawford, singer Gloria Gaynor, and rock band KISS, during a press conference at the Kennedy Center. He said every nominee passed through his approval before the final decision was made.

Trump says he personally selected Kennedy Center honorees

When asked about his role in the process, Donald Trump made clear he oversaw nearly all decisions.

“I would say I was about 98% involved. No, they all went through me. They came over Rick [Grenell] and Sergio [Gor] and everybody. They said, I turned down plenty. They were too woke. I turned, I had a couple of wokesters. Uh, no,” Trump said. 

He added: “We have great people. This is very different than it used to be. Very different. These are great people. And, not, they’re not, I don’t have any idea the Republicans, they want people that the Kennedy Center has everything.”

Trump contrasted his selections with cultural awards shows like the Academy Awards, which he criticized as politically driven: “Look at the Academy Awards. It gets lousy ratings now. It’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore.”

Trump’s Kennedy Center remark draws mixed reactions online

Donald Trump’s suggestion about the Kennedy Center prompted a wave of varied responses.

“Are the honorees gonna be Ted Nugent, Kevin Sorbo, and Roseanne Barr?” one user asked. 

“I know he's joking, but man it's hard to tell with him what are jokes and what aren't,” another wrote.

“Aren't the honours supposed to be for those that excel in performing arts? When did Donald ever excel in performing arts?” a comment read.

“That’s peak Trump — ‘If they won’t give me the trophy, I’ll just buy the whole stadium and hand it to myself.’ Honestly, it’s the ultimate power move… why beg for a seat at the table when you can own the table, the chairs, and the damn building?” one person posted.

“Bless his heart,” someone added.

Leadership shakeup at Kennedy Center under Trump

Donald Trump, now chairman of the Kennedy Center Board, has moved quickly to reshape the institution’s leadership and programming. On February 12, he removed 18 board members appointed by former President Joe Biden and replaced longtime Kennedy Center president Deborah F Rutter with former diplomat Richard Grenell.

Among those ousted were former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Biden senior adviser Mike Donilon. Since Trump took charge, roughly 40 employees have also been dismissed.

Earlier this year, Trump voiced concerns about what he called inappropriate programming at the Kennedy Center, specifically referencing a 2024 drag performance titled Dragtastic Dress-up.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump declared, “We don’t need woke at the Kennedy Center. Some of the shows were terrible. They were a disgrace that they were even put on. So I’ll be there until such time as it gets to be running right.”

Despite speculation about political motives, Trump insisted his decisions were aimed at elevating the quality of American performing arts rather than making partisan changes. “We’re not doing it for that reason. We’re doing it because we want the great talent. But these are great people,” he said.

The prestigious Kennedy Center Honors ceremony is still scheduled to take place later this year, though it will now reflect the vision and direction of Trump’s newly appointed leadership team.

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