Well… so much for quitting the presidency to chase an Emmy.
President Donald Trump’s much-hyped hosting debut at the Kennedy Center Honors on Tuesday didn’t just underwhelm… it straight-up flopped.
According to preliminary ratings data, CBS’s broadcast of the awards show pulled in its smallest audience ever, per The Daily Beast citing Programming Insider.
Just days earlier, Trump had been in rare form on Truth Social, gassing himself up and hyping the night as a celebration of the “true GREATS” of American culture. Then he took the joke or ego trip one step further, asking followers, “If really good, would you like me to leave the Presidency in order to make ‘hosting’ a full time job?”
Turns out America answered loud and clear: nah, we’re good.
The ratings flop lands in the middle of Trump’s ongoing makeover of the Kennedy Center, which has increasingly felt less like a cultural institution and more like a personal vanity project. Earlier this year, Trump orchestrated a takeover of the Center’s board, which promptly elected him chair. From there, he went full rebrand mode, announcing plans to rename the iconic venue the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”
That announcement alone sucked all the oxygen out of the Honors and sparked immediate backlash from Democrats, who questioned whether he even had the authority to rename a national cultural landmark. Instead of focusing on the artists, the headlines focused on Trump..again.
Ironically, the Honors themselves were stacked with performers Trump openly considers politically friendly. This year’s honorees included disco legend Gloria Gaynor, actor Sylvester Stallone, and rock band KISS. Even with a lineup designed to fit his vibe, viewers still didn’t show up.
And that’s been the pattern.
Since Trump took control, the Kennedy Center has watched its cultural credibility leak out the door. Longtime supporters and artists have backed away, treating the venue like a no-fly zone. According to a Washington Post analysis from October, ticket sales have sunk to their lowest levels since the COVID pandemic forced theaters to shut down completely.
Major names have already bailed. Hamilton pulled away. Issa Rae canceled a sold-out show. The message from the arts community has been consistent: this ain’t the place anymore.
Trump hasn’t exactly helped matters. On Truth Social, he’s repeatedly attacked past programming, especially performances involving the LGBTQ community. Back in February, he complained, “The Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
Under the Biden administration, the Center hosted several non-sexual drag performances, including a February 2024 “drag story hour,” where drag performers read children’s books — a format that had existed peacefully in libraries long before it became political ammo.
Now, with the ratings numbers in, Trump’s hosting fantasy is officially on life support. The man who joked about walking away from the presidency for a mic and spotlight couldn’t even keep viewers on the couch.
Turns out hosting is harder when the audience changes the channel.