Viewership for the Trump-hosted Kennedy Center Honors plummets 25% to a new low amid controversy over the venue’s renaming and artist boycotts.
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump joked about quitting the presidency if his hosting of the Kennedy Center Honors went well.
Ratings for the annual ceremony, however, plummeted to a record low amid controversy over his takeover of the premier Washington arts complex.
The 2025 awards broadcast on CBS averaged 3.01 million viewers, according to Nielsen data cited by industry journals.
This figure was down 25% from 2024’s 4.1 million viewers, which was itself a record low.
Trump was the first US president to host the awards gala, which this year honoured Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor, KISS and George Strait.
Since returning to office, the Republican has launched a forceful takeover of the centre, branding it too “woke”.
He installed himself as chairman of a hand-picked board, which renamed the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center earlier this month.
The renaming sparked outrage from family members of the late John F. Kennedy.
A number of artists have since cancelled shows at the centre to protest the new name.
Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the arts centre, denounced the performers cancelling shows.
“Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome,” he wrote on X.
According to US media reports, ticket sales have declined since the new board of directors took over.
Shortly before the December 23 broadcast, Trump took to his Truth Social network to say he was hosting it.
“Tell me what you think of my ‘Master of Ceremony’ abilities,” he posted.
“If really good, would you like me to leave the Presidency in order to make ‘hosting’ a full time job?”
