Washington, D.C, 7 December (H.S.): President Donald Trump, presiding over an Oval Office ceremony on Saturday, bestowed custom Tiffany & Co. medals upon the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees—hailed by him as the most distinguished cohort in the awards' history—while delivering a pointed barb at comedian Jimmy Kimmel, declaring that failure to surpass the late-night host's talents would render his presidency untenable.

The recipients, personally vetted by Trump with 98 percent involvement, encompassed action icon Sylvester Stallone, whom he dubbed a true movie legend; disco sovereign Gloria Gaynor; country titan George Strait; Broadway luminary Michael Crawford of Phantom of the Opera fame; and rock outfit Kiss.

Trump, marking a historic presidential first by hosting the ensuing Honors gala on Sunday—taped for CBS broadcast—anticipated record ratings while preempting critics with sarcasm: They'll say he was horrible... No, we'll do fine.

This engagement contrasts sharply with his initial term's disinterest, followed by a sweeping overhaul upon reelection: ousting the bipartisan board, installing loyalists like Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, assuming chairmanship, and pledging renovations to excise what he termed woke programming.

The feud with Kimmel, reignited amid the host's past Emmy and Oscar stints plus barbs over Trump controversies like the Charlie Kirk incident, underscores the administration's cultural recalibration as honorees' tunes echoed in the Rose Garden beforehand.

Strait obliged by doffing his cowboy hat for the medal; Trump quipped it could stay on if needed. The spectacle signals Trump's bid to imprint the arts institution indelibly.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar