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

UNIQUE The Kennedy Center Honors has raised a record million for its th annual celebration nearly doubling the million raised last year under President Biden as President Donald Trump begins his tenure as chairman of the Kennedy Center Fox News Digital has learned According to the Kennedy Center the million total marks the largest fundraising haul in the -year history of the Honors which was launched in 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 notified Fox News Digital that the center nearly doubled last year s fundraising reaching a historic million dollars 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 personnel say have contributed to what they describe as intense interest and momentum around the activity TRUMP TOUTS WORLD CUP DRAW SUCCESS INSISTS MASSIVE VIEWERSHIPRoma Daravi the Kennedy Center s vice president of residents relations communicated Fox News Digital the new benchmark reflects unprecedented donor enthusiasm The record-breaking million in contributions to the Kennedy Center Honors is a testament to the extraordinary patronage for our mission and affirms a vibrant future for this beloved American institution she stated During Saturday evening s Oval Office ceremony a first in Honors history Trump personally introduced each of the honorees Great honor he began And I'm delighted to welcome to the Oval Office our truly exceptional Kennedy Center honorees He went on to call the group perhaps the the bulk accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled This year s recipients include George Strait members of the rock band KISS Paul Stanley Gene Simmons Peter Criss and Ace Frehley posthumous Michael Crawford Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone 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 KENNEDY CENTER BOARD MEMBER SAYS FAMILIES ARE 'WELCOME' AGAIN AS GALA BREAKS FUNDRAISING RECORDSTrump 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 squad at Tiffany and Company he disclosed 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 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 This year s class spans five decades of American cultural achievement Strait known as the King of Country Music holds more than million RIAA certifications and remains the only artist to chart a Top hit every year for more than thirty years KISS has sold more than million albums worldwide and remains one of America s the majority enduring rock groups 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 NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TO OPEN ALL OF ITS KENNEDY CENTER SHOWS WITH THE NATIONAL ANTHEMThe Kennedy Center itself founded in as the national living memorial to President John F Kennedy hosts more than performances each year The Honors began in and have become a defining fixture of Washington s cultural calendar Trump also highlighted ongoing renovations to the Kennedy Center building which he explained 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 explained If it's built with bad sound you never get it fixed The th annual Kennedy Center Honors will air Dec on CBS and will stream on Paramount with live access for Premium subscribers and next-day streaming for Essential subscribers Executives say the weekend s events from the FIFA World Cup draw to the Oval Office reception to Sunday s gala reflect a new chapter for the institution as it enters its first full year under Trump s leadership and prepares for the next phase of renovations offerings and donor expansion