EXCLUSIVE: The Kennedy Center Honors has raised a record $23 million for its 48th annual celebration, nearly doubling the $12.7 million raised last year under President Biden, as President Donald Trump begins his tenure as chairman of the Kennedy Center, Fox News Digital has learned.
According to the Kennedy Center, the $23 million total marks the largest fundraising haul in the 48-year history of the Honors, which was launched in 1978 as the institution’s highest recognition of lifetime artistic achievement.
While Kennedy Center Honorees have visited the Oval Office privately in past years, Trump on Saturday hosted the first official, on-camera ceremony recognizing the recipients inside the Oval Office, introducing each honoree ahead of Sunday night’s gala.
Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told Fox News Digital that the center „nearly doubled last year’s fundraising, reaching a historic $23 million dollars,“ calling the Honors „one of our nation’s highest celebrations of the performing arts.“
Trump’s expanded role as chairman and his direct involvement in the weekend’s events, officials say, have contributed to what they describe as „intense interest and momentum“ around the program.
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Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, told Fox News Digital the new benchmark reflects unprecedented donor enthusiasm.
„The record-breaking $23 million in contributions to the Kennedy Center Honors is a testament to the extraordinary support for our mission and affirms a vibrant future for this beloved American institution,“ she said.
During Saturday evening’s Oval Office ceremony, a first in Honors history, Trump personally introduced each of the 2025 honorees. „Great honor,“ he began. „And I’m delighted to welcome to the Oval Office… our truly exceptional 2025 Kennedy Center honorees.“
He went on to call the group „perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled.“
This year’s recipients include George Strait, members of the rock band KISS — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley (posthumous) — Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone.
Trump singled out each in turn, praising Strait as a „country music legend,“ Crawford as a „great star of Broadway,“ Gaynor as „the disco queen,“ Stallone as „one of the true great movie stars,“ and KISS as „the incredible rock band.“
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Trump also unveiled the Honors’ new medallions, redesigned and donated by Tiffany & Co. „We will be presenting this year with the Kennedy Center Honors medallions, which will be designed this year with the help of the fantastic team at Tiffany and Company,“ he said.
The new medallion features a gold disc etched with an image of the Kennedy Center, flanked by rainbow colors representing the breadth of art disciplines celebrated by the Honors.
The reverse side includes each honoree’s name in script above the date of the 2025 Medallion Ceremony, and the medallion hangs from a navy-blue ribbon „associated with dignity and tradition,“ according to the institution’s description.
The honorees will be formally recognized Sunday evening during a star-studded celebration at the Kennedy Center following a State Department reception, which Trump noted „was never done before“ because „we never had a president hosting the awards before. This is the first.“
This year’s class spans five decades of American cultural achievement. Strait, known as the „King of Country Music,“ holds more than 100 million RIAA certifications and remains the only artist to chart a Top 10 hit every year for more than thirty years. KISS has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and remains one of America’s most enduring rock groups.
Crawford is internationally known for originating the title role in „The Phantom of the Opera.“ Gaynor has achieved global stardom across five decades and is a two-time Grammy winner.
Stallone, an Academy Award–nominated actor, writer and director, has shaped generations of filmgoers through the „Rocky“ and „Rambo“ franchises.
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The Kennedy Center itself, founded in 1971 as the national living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, hosts more than 2,000 performances each year. The Honors began in 1978 and have become a defining fixture of Washington’s cultural calendar.
Trump also highlighted ongoing renovations to the Kennedy Center building, which he said are being carried out „at a level that nobody’s ever seen before,“ noting congressional funding for major upgrades — including improvements to acoustics. „The sound is so fantastic,“ he said. „If it’s built with bad sound, you never get it fixed.“
The 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors will air Dec. 23 on CBS and will stream on Paramount+, with live access for Premium subscribers and next-day streaming for Essential subscribers.
Officials say the weekend’s events, from the FIFA World Cup draw to the Oval Office reception to Sunday’s gala, reflect a new chapter for the institution as it enters its first full year under Trump’s leadership and prepares for the next phase of renovations, programming, and donor expansion.
EXCLUSIVE: Trump-led Kennedy Center nearly doubles fundraising from Biden era, smashing record with $23M haul 2025 IUSTITIA.BG – Investigations 2009-2025 2025-12-07 01:36:43 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
