By Aldgra Fredly
Contributing Writer
The Kennedy Center Honors has raised a record $23 million for its annual award ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump in Washington on Saturday, according to its president.
This event marked the first time a U.S. president hosted the Kennedy Center Honors, which was launched in 1978 to annually honor celebrities influential in American culture and the arts.
Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell wrote on X that the center raised a “record-breaking” sum in one night for the Honors and more than $130 million in total during the first 10 months under Trump’s leadership.
In a separate post announcing the news, Grenell attributed the success to Trump, who was elected Kennedy Center Board chair earlier this year following David Rubenstein’s removal.
“Donald Trump has saved the Kennedy Center. It was neglected. It was in financial ruins. It was mismanaged. It was bloated,” Grenell said on X.
“We have changed it to include common-sense programming — and corporate donors have responded in very big ways.”
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors celebrated actor Sylvester Stallone for his roles in the “Rocky” and “Rambo” series, singer Gloria Gaynor for her song “I Will Survive,” Rock band KISS, country music singer George Strait, and Tony Award-winning actor Michael Crawford.
“This is a group that really is unique,” Trump told reporters on the red carpet as he entered the event.
“Over the years, I’ve been watching. You’ve had some wonderful honoraries, but I think this is really very much unparalleled.”
Trump said he had agreed to host the show in August. In the past, the event has been hosted by celebrities such as Stephen Colbert, Queen Latifah, Gloria Estefan, David Letterman, and Walter Cronkite.
After taking office for a second term in January, Trump removed then-Chairman Rubenstein and several members of the Kennedy Center’s board whom he said did not share his administration’s vision for “a golden age in arts and culture,” and he vowed to restore the center’s standing.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump stated on Feb. 8.
“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured drag shows specifically targeting our youth. — THIS WILL STOP.”
Trump named Grenell as the center’s interim president in February. Grenell previously held positions as the U.S. ambassador to Germany, acting director of national intelligence, and special envoy for negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia during Trump’s first presidential term.
Joseph Lord contributed to this report.
