A Night of Politics and Prestige as President Trump Hosts Kennedy Center Honors Tribute to George Strait. ML
- President Donald Trump hosted the 48th Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, Dec. 7.
- This year’s honorees included George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, KISS, and Gloria Gaynor.
- Fellow country artists Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn, and Miranda Lambert paid musical tribute to Strait.
- The ceremony will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ on Tuesday, Dec. 23.
On Dec. 7, President Donald Trump became the first president to host the Kennedy Center Honors at Washington, D.C.’s 48th ceremony, which honored country singer George Strait.
Trump also paid tribute to his “very special friend” actor Sylvester Stallone, Broadway’s Michael Crawford, rock group KISS and disco legend Gloria Gaynor.
Ushering his wife, Norma Strait, down the red carpet at the gala event, Strait sported his signature black cowboy hat, which he removed as Trump placed the medal around his neck.More: Trump hosts tribute to Sylvester Stallone, George Strait at Kennedy Center Honors 2025
At the honors, Nashville country singer Vince Gill told the crowd about sharing the stage with Strait, the “king of country music.” He recalled performing together for the first time over 40 years ago.Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
Even in the midst of all Strait’s success, the “Amarillo by Morning” singer has put forth a “true and genuine view of country music,” Gill said.
“With George, what you see is what you get,” Gill said. “You’re a cowboy’s cowboy, and your own authenticity is why we call you the king.”More: President Trump adds ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ singer Lee Greenwood to Kennedy Center board
Strait, in a prerecorded video, shared how he went from performing in honky-tonks to breaking stadium attendance records, drawing over 110,905 fans at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, in 2024.
In a musical tribute, country duo Brooks & Dunn performed Strait’s song “Amarillo by Morning,” Gill sang his track “Troubadour” and Miranda Lambert belted out “Run.”
