Earlier this week, it was announced that KISS is among those who have been selected by President Donald Trump to be honored at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors. Others chosen to be awarded during the December 2025 ceremony include Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, and Michael Crawford.
Now, the members of KISS are expressing their gratitude for the honor – despite the fact that some of them have previously been staunch critics of the President.
In 2021, the band’s lead singer Paul Stanley called Trump “abhorrent” and “a true danger to our democracy.” Now, Stanley has told TMZ that he is grateful to accept the award.
“From our earliest days, KISS has embodied the American ideal that all things are possible and that hard work pays off,” he told the publication. “The prestige of this Kennedy Center Honors cannot be overstated and I accept this on behalf of the long legacy of KISS and all of the band members who helped create our iconic band”.
Bassist Gene Simmons also reacted to the news, telling TMZ: “KISS is the embodiment of the American dream. We are deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.”
Drummer Peter Criss added: “I feel so blessed. This is the greatest honor of our career.”
Unlike Stanley, founding guitarist Ace Frehley has expressed his support of Trump in the past, and told TMZ that receiving this honor is “a dream come true that I never thought would materialize.”
