Donald Trump’s foray into hosting the Kennedy Center Honors resulted in the lowest viewership in the event’s history,according too the Hollywood Reporter. The broadcast, which aired on December 23rd, drew just 3.01 million viewers-a stark contrast to the 4.1 million who tuned in for the 2024 ceremony.
A Ratings Decline to Match a contentious Tenure
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The 26% year-over-year drop in viewership underscores a challenging period for the Kennedy Center, marked by controversy surrounding Trump’s involvement. The 2025 Honors celebrated KISS, Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, and Michael Crawford, artists selected by Trump himself.
Prior to the broadcast, Trump boasted about anticipated high ratings on his Truth Social platform, stating, “At the request of the Board, and just about everybody else in America, I am hosting the event.” However, CBS substantially trimmed his opening remarks from a planned 12 minutes to just two.
“Bigness” Falls Short
Trump also offered a curious assessment of the performers themselves, remarking, “They probably don’t like me very much. but all I know is they’re big, right? We want bigness. We don’t care if they like Trump – we want bigness, right?” the event ultimately failed to deliver the “bigness” he desired, becoming the least-watched Kennedy Center Honors on record.
- Viewership for the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors plummeted to 3.01 million.
- This represents a 26% decrease compared to the 2024 broadcast.
- Trump’s involvement was preceded by a 40% decline in ticket sales.
- The Kennedy Center was recently renamed “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
The disappointing television numbers followed earlier indications of trouble. Data reportedly showed a 40% decline in ticket sales and a 50% drop in overall revenue after Trump was installed as Kennedy Center Board Chair in February.
A Name Change Amidst Controversy
Just five days before the broadcast, Trump’s appointed Kennedy center Board of Trustees voted to rename the institution “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” While CBS acknowledged the name change during the broadcast, CBS News reportedly refrained from using the new name in its official coverage, citing the need for Congressional approval for such a change.
Adding a layer of irony, Trump had previously asked his followers on Truth Social if they “would like me to leave the Presidency in order to make ‘hosting’ a full time job?” if the event proved successful. Given the dismal ratings, it appears he will be continuing with his current endeavors.
