A fresh crop of Trump supporters get Kennedy Center Honors

Anka, who notably wrote the English-language lyrics for Frank Sinatra’s version of “My Way,” has maintained a longtime friendship with Trump. He was originally set to perform “My Way” at Trump’s 2017 Inauguration Day gala, but backed out, telling TMZ that a custody battle over his son prevented him from being there for his “old friend of mine for 50 years.” When asked if he agreed with Trump’s politics, he vaguely replied, “You’ve got a better chance of getting sunrise past a rooster on that one.” In 2025, Trump took to Truth Social to post a new rendition of “My Way” with lyrics that his “very talented friend” Anka apparently wrote just for him. Mamet, the playwright behind “American Buffalo” and “Glengarry Glen Ross,” has been more forthcoming about his conservative political views and previously told The Guardian that Trump “did a great job as a president” during his first term. Grammy winner Foster also has ties to Trump, having performed for him at a fundraising gala in Mar-a-Lago in 2017. Garcia, known for The Godfather: Part III and the Ocean’s franchise, and Mandrell, the country singer behind “Sleeping Single In A Double Bed,” have not publicly disclosed whether they support Trump.

This year’s ceremony will take place on December 7 and will be held off-site at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, DC, while the Kennedy Center is shut down for supposed renovations amid Trump’s vain legal battle over putting his name on the building. The host for this year’s ceremony hasn’t been announced yet, but after viewership declined significantly when the president took over the duties in 2025, the organizers might want to consider someone else for the gig.