In a historic and controversial move, US President Donald Trump took centre stage as the host of the 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, marking the first time a sitting president has hosted the prestigious event. Following the ceremony, President Trump took to social media to playfully ask the American public if he should leave the presidency to pursue a "full-time job" in hosting, based on their assessment of his "Master of Ceremony" abilities.
A Night of Stars and a Presidential Host
The event, broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ on the evening of December 23, 2025, honoured a distinguished group of artists for their lifetime contributions to American culture. The honourees for the year were actor Sylvester Stallone, theatre legend Michael Crawford, iconic glam metal band KISS, country music star George Strait, and disco queen Gloria Gaynor. Founded in 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors is one of the nation's highest accolades for performing artists.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Trump announced the broadcast and directly engaged with his followers. "THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER HONORS will be broadcast tonight... Tell me what you think of my 'Master of Ceremony' abilities. If really good, would you like me to leave the Presidency in order to make 'hosting' a full time job?" he wrote, sparking a flurry of reactions online.
The Controversial Renaming Preceding the Event
The President's hosting role came amidst significant controversy surrounding the venue itself. Earlier, the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts had voted to rename the institution. Its new, extended title is now "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
The Kennedy Center stated that this decision was meant to recognise President Trump's role in reviving the institution. However, the move immediately drew sharp legal questions and criticism from various quarters, including members of Congress, historians, and the Kennedy family.
Critics argue that the board overstepped its legal authority. Ray Smock, a former House historian, pointed out that the centre was designated a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy by an act of Congress in 1964, a year after his assassination. The law explicitly states that the centre should not become a memorial for anyone else, nor should another person's name be placed on the building. "The Kennedy Center board is not a lawmaking entity. Congress makes laws," Smock emphasised in a statement.
Legal and Political Repercussions
The renaming has set the stage for a potential legal and political battle. The 1964 law that created the centre as a memorial to JFK is seen by many as a binding statute that cannot be altered by a board vote alone. This has led to accusations that the trustees' decision was not just controversial but potentially unlawful.
The fusion of these two events—the renaming and President Trump's high-profile hosting—has created a unique moment in American cultural politics. It highlights the ongoing blending of presidential authority with national cultural institutions, raising questions about legacy, partisanship, and the rules governing such iconic establishments.
While the audience enjoyed performances celebrating the honourees, the underlying story remained the transformed identity of the venue itself and the unprecedented sight of a president serving as its master of ceremonies, complete with a tongue-in-cheek offer to change careers based on public opinion.
