Actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor and the rock band KISS are among the Kennedy Center honorees announced Wednesday by President Trump, who said he was heavily involved in the selections and will host the event.
Also to receive the coveted honor at the event in December will be country music star George Strait and stage actor Michael Crawford, best known for his starring role in “Phantom of the Opera.”
It’s the first group of honorees chosen during Mr. Trump’s second term, in which he has cleaned house of the leadership of the historically liberal cultural institution, named himself as chairman of the board and embarked on an ambitious remodeling agenda.
The president spoke highly of Mr. Stallone and his role as Rocky Balboa in the film series, during Mr. Trump’s announcement at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He also cited Mr. Stallone’s iconic film role as “Rambo.”
Mr. Trump called Ms. Gaynor’s hit song “I Will Survive” an “unbelievable song.”
He said of Mr. Crawford’s “Phantom” performances, “Nobody did it like him.”
The president teased that KISS, known for hits such as “Rock and Roll All Nite,” might perform ahead of the December event.
Mr. Trump called the honorees “outstanding people.” Asked if he took part in choosing the honorees, the president said he was “98%” involved in the selection process.
The president also said the Kennedy Center will be getting some construction and remodeling work done with funds provided partly by the federal government.
“We’re going to bring it to a higher level than it ever hit,” he said.
He also said the center would play a role in next year’s celebration of 250 years of the United States.
The honorees are usually announced in the summer ahead of the December awards. The awards go to people in the performing arts who have given recognizable contributions. Mr. Trump did not attend any of the events during his first term.
He has taken a special interest in the Kennedy Center during his second term, saying he will root out the “woke” and bring the center back to what it was.
He teased the announcement in a Tuesday post and suggested a name change for the center.
“GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS. They will be announced Wednesday,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday.
The president took aim at the Kennedy Center, which is named for the late President Kennedy, earlier this year. He criticized the shows the venue hosted, calling them too “woke,” and fired members of the board and replaced them with his picks.
“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation,” he wrote on social media in February. “For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
The president and first lady Melania Trump attended the premiere of “Les Misérables” at the center in June. It was his first time attending a performance there as president.
House Republicans introduced a bill last month that would rename the center after Mr. Trump and the opera house after the first lady.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.