The Kennedy Center Honors 2025 airs tonight, December 23, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and Paramount+ with President Donald Trump hosting. This marks his first time attending the ceremony in either of his two terms and the first time a president has hosted the event since taking office. The 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors celebrates five iconic entertainers spanning country music, disco, rock, Broadway, and film.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Ceremony airs December 23, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and Paramount+
- Five honorees include George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, Kiss, Michael Crawford, and Sylvester Stallone
- Ace Frehley of Kiss passed away in October 2025, weeks after the honor was announced
- New Tiffany & Co. medallions replace traditional ribbons for the first time this year
Meet the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors Honorees
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This year’s class spans generations and genres of American entertainment. George Strait, known as the King of Country Music, brings hits like “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” and “Amarillo by Morning.” Gloria Gaynor, the Queen of Disco, anchors the group with her timeless anthem “I Will Survive,” which won a Grammy for best disco recording. Kiss, the legendary rock band with their signature face paint, sold over 100 million records worldwide. Michael Crawford, the Tony winner who originated the role of the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera,” brings Broadway excellence to the stage. Sylvester Stallone rounds out the class, the Hollywood icon who wrote and starred in “Rocky,” receiving Oscar nominations for both acting and screenplay.
President Trump personally selected this diverse group of honorees, making his selections known during an announcement at the Kennedy Center earlier this year. According to Gene Simmons of Kiss, the band’s original guitarist Ace Frehley was deeply missed by the surviving members. “The saddest thing of all is that Ace couldn’t live long enough to see this amazing thing,” Simmons told CBS News following Frehley’s unexpected death in October.
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Tonight marks a significant departure from Kennedy Center Honors tradition. Instead of sitting with honorees and watching the celebration unfold, Donald Trump will actively host the ceremony, a role typically reserved for entertainment professionals. Trump himself promoted the broadcast on social media, asking followers if they thought he should leave the presidency to make hosting “a full time job.” This represents the first time a sitting president has hosted the annual event.
Trump’s administration has made sweeping changes to the Kennedy Center, including ousting the previous board chairman and president. The White House announced last week that the institution would officially be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center. Trump ally Richard Grenell, former Ambassador, was installed as president of the institution alongside Trump’s leadership role.
How to Watch the 48-Year Tradition Tonight
| Broadcast Details | Information |
| Network | CBS Television and Paramount+ streaming |
| Date | Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT |
| Recording Status | Pre-recorded December 7, 2025 |
The Kennedy Center Honors have been a Washington institution recognized as “Hollywood on the Potomac.” Viewers will find the ceremony on CBS affiliates across the country or stream it live on Paramount+. For those without cable access, the Paramount+ subscription service offers streaming options starting at the announced broadcast time.
Legacy and Dance Performances Awaited by Fans
Each Kennedy Center Honors ceremony features surprise musical performances from celebrity guests paying tribute to the honorees. The Kennedy Center deliberately keeps the performers secret until the show airs, maintaining suspense for both the honorees and viewers at home. Past ceremonies have featured legendary tribute performances that become instantly memorable television moments. Tonight’s performances will celebrate the career achievements of each of the five honorees across their respective entertainment genres.
The new medallions designed by Tiffany & Co. represent a modernization of the nearly 50-year tradition. Each gold medallion features an etching of the Kennedy Center on one side with rainbow colors running through it, while the reverse displays the honoree’s name and the year 2025. They hang from navy blue ribbons, replacing the traditional rainbow-colored ribbons with three gold bars that had been given to honorees since the ceremony’s inception in the 1970s.
What Makes Tonight’s 48th Kennedy Center Honors Unlike Any Before?
Beyond Trump’s hosting duties, tonight’s ceremony introduces new medal designs, a newly renamed institution under Trump leadership, and the bittersweet context of honoring Kiss without their original lead guitarist. The ceremony was pre-recorded on December 7, 2025, during the red-carpet gala at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center venue. Entertainment observers expect an evening of powerful nostalgia as performers celebrate five decades of transformative contributions to American culture. Will the performances live up to the high standards of previous ceremonies, or will the political atmosphere surrounding Trump’s presidency overshadow the celebration of these legendary artists?
Sources
- CBS News – How to watch and honoree profiles
- The Kennedy Center – Official ceremony details
- Variety/Billboard – Coverage and reactions
Jessica Morrison is a seasoned entertainment writer with over a decade of experience covering television, film, and pop culture. After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.