London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Tradition again: Biden celebrates Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell at Kennedy Center Honors

President Joe Biden celebrates artists including Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell and Lorne Michaels on Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors, bringing back presidential participation in the annual ceremony skipped by Republican Donald Trump.
Joe and Jill Biden will head to the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday night, marking the first time in four years a president has attended after Donald Trump refused to go after criticism from honorees.#JoeJill #KennedyCenter #HonorsKamala #Doug Joe and Jill Biden will head to the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday night, marking the first time in four years a president has attended Washington D.C.'s premiere social event after Donald Trump refused to go in the face of criticism from the honorees.

Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff will join the first couple in the presidential box. The Bidens and the second couple have been seen in public together more frequently after reports of disfunction in the vice president's office and frustration in the West Wing with Harris.

Biden will also bring back the traditional White House reception for the Kennedy Center honorees, another event Trump scrapped. He and the first lady will host operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz; Motown founder Berry Gordy; Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels; actress Bette Midler; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell on Sunday evening before the formal ceremony.

President Trump skipped the Kennedy Center Honors, publicly stating that he wished to avoid marring the celebration with a 'political distraction' after some of the honorees threatened to boycott the awards if Trump attended.

Joe and Jill Biden will head to the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday night, marking the first time in four years a president has attended Washington D.C.'s premiere social event

President Donald Trump and Melania Trump (seen above at a 2019 formal dinner in England) skipped the Kennedy Center Honors, publicly stating that the Trumps wished to avoid marring the celebration with a 'political distraction' after some of the honorees threatened to boycott the awards if Trump attended

Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff will also attend the Kennedy Center Honors; the second couple has been seen more in public with the Bidens including during a service project at DC Central Kitchen on November 23 (above)

Previous presidents have attended the honors since it launched in 1978. Biden also attended in 2009 as vice president, sitting in the presidential box of the ornate theater with Barack and Michelle Obama and his daughter Ashley.

The event is a major fundraiser for the Kennedy Center and the ceremony airs on CBS on Dec. 22. The star-studded performance, which features a tribute to each honoree, is followed by a private dinner.

'After the challenges and heartbreak of the last many months, and as we celebrate 50 years of the Kennedy Center, I dare add that we are prepared to throw 'the party to end all parties' in D.C. on December 5th,' Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter said.

Presidents and first ladies add a dash of glamour to the gala, which is also attended by members of Congress, justices of the Supreme Court, Cabinet officials, high-profile members of the media, and senior members of the administration.

Sunday's ceremony, the 44th Kennedy Center Honors, will be hosted by Kennedy Center chairman David Rubenstein, the same man whose Nantucket home the Bidens stayed in over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Honorees are selected for their contributions to American culture through the performing arts.

The first awards in 1978 went to Marian Anderson, Fred Astaire, George Balanchine, Richard Rodgers and Arthur Rubinstein — with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter sitting next to them in the presidential box.

This year's Kennedy Center Honorees: Justino Diaz, Berry Gordy, Lorne Michaels, Bette Midler and Joni Mitchel

Joe Biden (right) also attended the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009 as vice president, sitting in the presidential box of the ornate theater with Barack and Michelle Obama and his daughter Ashley.

Honored: Hollywood heavyweights including honorees Lorne Michaels and Bette Midler were in attendance at the medallion ceremony for the 44th annual Kennedy Center Honors on Saturday evening at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

Recognition: Other honorees at the medallion ceremony including legendary songwriter Joni Mitchell, 78, and Motown founder/record executive Berry Gordy Jr, 92, were also pictured walking the red carpet

There have been a few presidential misses over the years - Carter missed the 1979 event because of the Iran hostage crisis; George H.W. Bush missed in 1989 and Bill Clinton in 1994 because of travel in Europe. First ladies attended on their behalf.

There was speculation Melania Trump might attend without her husband but that never happened. The Trumps skipped the three ceremonies held during their tenures.

The 2020 ceremony was postponed because of the COVID pandemic and was held earlier this year in May.

For that hybrid Honors in May - which featured socially distanced performances during a week-long taping - the Bidens welcomed the honorees during a reception at the White
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
×