US President Donald Trump took center stage on Sunday as host of the storied Kennedy Center's flagship awards program, praising select entertainers and his own forceful overhaul of the storied arts venue.

The Kennedy Center Honors highlight prestige in the arts, and this year's honorees included "Rocky" actor Sylvester Stallone, country singer George Strait, disco legend Gloria Gaynor and rock band KISS.

Since returning to office in January, the 79-year-old Republican president has declared war on what he calls "woke" viewpoints and the nation's cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian, which have made significant efforts to highlight more diverse talents in recent years.

"Each of these honorees has a story of success and triumph that would only have happened in the United State

See Full Page