EXCLUSIVE: Trump-led Kennedy Center nearly doubles fundraising from Biden era, smashing record with $23M haul

According to the Kennedy Center, the $23 million total marks the largest fundraising haul in the 48-year history of the Honors, which was launched in 1978 as the institution's highest recognition of lifetime artistic achievement.

While Kennedy Center honorees have visited the Oval Office privately in past years, Trump on Saturday hosted the first official, on-camera ceremony recognizing the recipients inside the Oval Office, introducing each honoree ahead of Sunday night's gala.

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told Fox News Digital that the center "nearly doubled last year's fundraising, reaching a historic $23 million," calling the Honors "one of our nation's highest celebrations of the performing arts." 

Trump's expanded role as chairman and his direct involvement in the weekend's events, officials say, have contributed to what they describe as "intense interest and momentum" around the program. 

Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's vice president of public relations, told Fox News Digital the new benchmark reflects unprecedented donor enthusiasm. 

"The record-breaking $23 million in contributions to the Kennedy Center Honors is a testament to the extraordinary support for our mission and affirms a vibrant future for this beloved American institution," she said.

During Saturday evening's Oval Office ceremony, a first in Honors history, Trump personally introduced each of the 2025 honorees. "Great honor," he began. "And I'm delighted to welcome to the Oval Office… our truly exceptional 2025 Kennedy Center honorees." 

He went on to call the group "perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled."

Trump singled out each in turn, praising 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."

Trump also unveiled the Honors' new medallions, redesigned and donated by 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 new medallion features a gold disc etched with an image of the Kennedy Center, flanked by rainbow colors representing the breadth of art disciplines celebrated by the Honors. 

The reverse side includes each honoree's name in script above the date of the 2025 medallion ceremony, and the medallion hangs from a navy-blue ribbon "associated with dignity and tradition," according to the institution's description.

The honorees will be formally recognized Sunday evening during a star-studded celebration at the Kennedy Center following a State Department reception, which Trump noted "was never done before" because "we never had a president hosting the awards before. This is the first."

Crawford is internationally known for originating the title role in "The Phantom of the Opera." Gaynor has achieved global stardom across five decades and is a two-time Grammy winner. 

Stallone, an Academy Award-nominated actor, writer and director, has shaped generations of filmgoers through the "Rocky" and "Rambo" franchises.

The Kennedy Center itself, founded in 1971 as the national living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, hosts more than 2,000 performances each year. The Honors began in 1978 and have become a defining fixture of Washington's cultural calendar.

Trump also highlighted ongoing renovations to the Kennedy Center building, which he said are being carried out "at a level that nobody's ever seen before," noting congressional funding for major upgrades - including improvements to acoustics. "The sound is so fantastic," he said. "If it's built with bad sound, you never get it fixed."

The 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors will air Dec. 23 on CBS and will stream on Paramount+, with live access for premium subscribers and next-day streaming for essential subscribers.