Donald Trump did not merely attend the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday; he commandeered the spotlight, transforming America’s most prestigious arts gala into an extension of his political brand.

By becoming the first sitting president to serve as emcee in the center’s 47-year history, Trump has obliterated the traditional line between state dignity and celebrity spectacle. For observers in Nairobi and beyond, the move signals a definitive shift in American soft power: culture is no longer just a celebration of talent, but a battlefield for political dominance.

The 'Trump-Kennedy' Era

Speaking from a presidential lectern at center stage, Trump wasted no time in declaring victory before the curtain had even fallen. With the confidence of a seasoned showman, he claimed the event was already a critical success.

“This is the greatest evening in the history of the Kennedy Center – not even a contest,” Trump asserted. “There has never been anything like it and the show is already getting rave reviews.”

The President, who returned to office in January 2025, leaned into his combative relationship with the media. He predicted that while the “fake news” would pan his performance, the public would deliver “big ratings.”

In a moment that drew a mixture of laughter and applause, he jokingly referred to the venue as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” It was a quip, yet it underscored a serious reality: since February, Trump has aggressively moved to reshape the institution, which he has previously criticized as a bastion of “woke” anti-American culture.

Breaking Protocol

The contrast with his first term could not be starker. Previously, Trump boycotted the event. Now, he is the main attraction. His decision to host places him in a lineage of entertainers rather than statesmen, stepping into shoes previously filled by:

• Walter Cronkite
• Caroline Kennedy
• Stephen Colbert
• Queen Latifah

“So many people I know in this audience,” Trump told the gathered luminaries from film and music. “Some good. Some bad. Some I truly love and respect. Some I just hate.”

This candid, almost reality-TV style of address is familiar to Kenyan audiences accustomed to the personalized nature of political power. However, in the context of the US arts establishment, it represents a seismic cultural shift.

As the night concluded, the focus remained less on the lifetime achievements of the honorees and more on the man at the microphone. As Trump noted, “This place is hot”—leaving the world to wonder if the heat came from artistic brilliance or the friction of a country deeply divided.