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Kennedy Center Honors Announced Amid Controversy
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In Short: President Donald Trump announced the 2026 Kennedy Center Honorees, including Paul Anka, David Foster, Andy Garcia, David Mamet, and Barbara Mandrell, despite the center's closure.
The Kennedy Center Honors for 2026 were announced in a press release, marking a departure from last year's live press event hosted by President Donald Trump.
This year’s honorees include legendary singer-songwriter Paul Anka, 85, who has been active in the music industry for nearly seven decades.
Also honored is David Foster, a 16-time Grammy winner known for his work with artists like Celine Dion and Michael Bublé.
Actors Andy Garcia and Barbara Mandrell, and playwright David Mamet, round out the list of honorees.
The gala ceremony will take place on December 7 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., as the Kennedy Center undergoes potential renovations.
The Kennedy Center's closure has been controversial, with Trump claiming the center needs extensive renovations.
The Kennedy Center Honors continue despite the center's closure, with Trump maintaining his role as chairman of the special honors advisory committee.
The Kennedy Center has faced criticism and backlash, including from members of the Kennedy family, over Trump's attempts to rename the institution.
Trump's board voted to close the center, citing structural safety concerns and financial strain, but he has warned that the building could be 'ripped down' if renovations do not proceed.
The Kennedy Center Honors tradition, now in its nearly 50-year run, continues to recognize influential artists in various fields.
Despite the controversy, the Kennedy Center Honors remain a significant event in the arts community, celebrating the lifetime achievements of these honorees.
What this adds
The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony will be held at Capital One Arena for the first time, as the Kennedy Center is closed.
The Kennedy Center Honors continue despite the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding the institution.
What's confirmed
- Unlike last year, when President Donald Trump personally announced the five honorees at a live press event, this year’s selections were announced in the traditional way, in a press release, which included a quote from Trump: “We are recognizing amazing artists whose lifelong work has shaped American culture and inspired generations of audiences,” he said.
- “We are proud to honor this year’s class and to continue a tradition that has defined the Center for nearly 50 years.” This year’s honorees were chosen based on the recommendation of the Kennedy Center’s special honors advisory committee, whose members include former honorees, artists and members of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, under the leadership of Trump, as its chairman.
- Anka, 85, has been writing and recording hits for nearly seven decades.
- This year’s honorees range in age from Garcia, 70, to Anka, 85.
- The Kennedy Center has announced that Paul Anka, David Foster, Andy Garcia, David Mamet and Barbara Mandrell will be honored at this year's Kennedy Center Honors.
- The quintet will be feted on December 7 during a gala ceremony event held for the first time at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. as the Kennedy Center is closed for potential renovations.
- Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts en route to Sterling, Va., Sunday, Oct.
- The 2026 Kennedy Center Honors will be held at Capital One Arena amid President Donald Trump’s closure of the performing arts institution Robin L Marshall/Getty; SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty President Donald Trump has announced the recipients of the 2026 Kennedy Center Honors.
What's still developing
- Monday’s announcement of the 2026 Kennedy Center Honorees is coming much later in the year than last year’s announcement, which was made on Aug. 13, 2025.
- Since Trump’s takeover of the lauded cultural institution during his second administration, the Kennedy Center has become a political lightning rod, due to numerous artists cancelling performances there as well as Trump’s attempts to illegally emblazon his name on the building.
- In 2013, he published his autobiography, “My Way,” a New York Times bestseller.
- The administration and center officials have said the building needs roughly $257 million in renovations and repairs.