Cheap Trick defends Trump-hosted Kennedy Center performance as a tribute to KISS
The rock band Cheap Trick released a statement defending its performance at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump earlier this month.
At the Dec. 7 ceremony, Cheap Trick performed the song "Rock And Roll All Nite" in tribute to the band KISS, whose members were among the honorees of the night.
After receiving some backlash from fans for performing at an event sponsored by Trump, the band took to Instagram on Wednesday to clarify the decision had nothing to do with politics.
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"We were asked to perform at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony to pay tribute to our lifelong brothers in KISS, and to support artists and the arts," the band wrote. "We agreed to do it for those reasons, and no others."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.
Other honorees included country legend George Strait, Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, Broadway icon Michael Crawford and Grammy Award-winning singer Gloria Gaynor.
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Trump began leading the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after being elected as board chair in February. Since his induction, Trump has sought to reform the Kennedy Center following allegations that it was promoting a woke agenda.
During the ceremony, Trump appeared to confirm that he played a major role in selecting the honorees alongside the Special Honors Advisory Committee.
"I was about 98% involved… they all came through me," Trump told reporters.
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"I turned down plenty, they were too woke," he continued. "I had a couple of wokesters. No, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be."
Trump is also the first president to personally host the Kennedy Center honors.
The 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors took place on Dec. 7 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and will air Dec. 23 on the CBS Television Network and on Paramount+.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that the Kennedy Center’s board voted unanimously to rename the institution to the "Trump-Kennedy Center."