The 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors delivered the most lucrative philanthropic performance in its history, securing a record $23 million in contributions — nearly twice the $12.7 million generated under last year’s Biden-era celebration. The dramatic fundraising surge coincides with President Donald Trump’s new role as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and his direct involvement in the weekend’s schedule.
Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell characterized the achievement to Fox News Digital as transformative, noting the center “nearly doubled last year’s fundraising, reaching a historic $23 million dollars” and reaffirming that the Honors remain “one of our nation’s highest celebrations of the performing arts.” Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president of public relations, underscored the same theme of institutional momentum, calling the haul “a testament to the extraordinary support for our mission and affirms a vibrant future for this beloved American institution.”
The heightened attention reflects Trump’s decision to personally host the honorees inside the Oval Office — a first in the program’s nearly five decades. During Saturday’s ceremony, the president introduced each recipient one by one. “Great honor,” Trump began. “And I’m delighted to welcome to the Oval Office… our truly exceptional 2025 Kennedy Center honorees.” He described the group as “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled.”
View this post on Instagram
This year’s honorees span multiple generations of American entertainment: country music icon George Strait; Broadway legend Michael Crawford; two-time Grammy winner Gloria Gaynor; actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone; and the rock band KISS — represented by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and the late Ace Frehley, who received posthumous recognition. Trump praised 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.”
In another departure from precedent, Trump revealed redesigned Kennedy Center Honors medallions produced in partnership with 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 medallion now features a gold disc etched with the Kennedy Center and encircled by rainbow colors representing distinct artistic disciplines, suspended from a navy-blue ribbon.
The event comes on the heels of Grenell announcing earlier in the year that he had found fraud in the Kennedy Center’s finances when he took over.
The 48th Kennedy Center Honors will air on CBS on December 23 and stream on Paramount+. Center officials attribute the fundraising surge to Trump’s expanded leadership role, increased donor engagement, and the unprecedented level of national attention generated by the Oval Office ceremony. The institution believes the renewed enthusiasm signals a new phase of programming, donor outreach, and capital investment as ongoing renovations continue and the Honors grow into a larger cultural showcase than in previous decades.
[Read More: White House Mocks Famous Singer After Backlash]
