Sylvester Stallone and Kiss Lead Star-Studded Kennedy Center Class

Dec 09, 2025

Sylvester Stallone at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors

Sylvester Stallone, Kiss and a slate of music and stage legends have been formally decorated at the White House ahead of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, turning the Oval Office into a rare crossover moment between Hollywood, rock arenas and Washington power.

Icons honored in Oval Office

President Donald Trump welcomed Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, country star George Strait and “disco queen” Gloria Gaynor to the Oval Office to receive their Kennedy Center Honors medals one day before the official gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The ceremony also recognized Broadway actor Michael Crawford, underscoring how the 2025 honorees span film, rock, country, disco and musical theater.

Trump hails “most accomplished” class

From behind the Resolute Desk, Trump praised the honorees as a “group of icons” whose work has “inspired, uplifted and unified” millions across the United States. He framed this year’s cohort as perhaps the most accomplished class ever assembled by the Kennedy Center, highlighting their impact in defining entire genres and setting new standards for the performing arts.

Stallone and Kiss in the spotlight

Trump singled out Stallone as the star of “some of the greatest movies ever,” a nod to a film career that has shaped American pop culture for nearly five decades. The president also saluted “members of the incredible rock band” Kiss — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss and, posthumously, Ace Frehley — with Frehley’s daughter present to accept the Tiffany & Co.-redesigned medal on his behalf.

Medals for Strait, Gaynor and Crawford

Country icon George Strait received his medal alongside Gloria Gaynor, whom Trump introduced with a lighthearted compliment about her “great head of hair,” adding a personal touch to the otherwise formal proceedings. Broadway mainstay Michael Crawford was honored for his stage work, further broadening the cultural reach of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors lineup.

Kennedy Center gala and broadcast

The honors gala is set to be staged at the Kennedy Center on Sunday night, with Trump scheduled to host the ceremony at a time when the venue has faced financial and operational challenges. Predicting a ratings surge, Trump said he believes the broadcast — expected to air December 23 on CBS and Paramount+ — will become the highest-rated Kennedy Center Honors telecast to date.