Donald Trump joked about quitting as US president if his internet hosting of the annual Kennedy Heart awards went effectively.
However viewership scores for this yr’s annual ceremony plummeted to a report low amid controversy over his takeover of the premier Washington arts complicated, to which Trump’s title was added this month.
The 2025 awards broadcast on CBS averaged 3.01 million viewers, in accordance with a report from Nielsen Dwell Similar Day Panel Massive Knowledge, cited by business journals Selection and The Hollywood Reporter.
The determine was down 25 p.c from 2024’s determine of 4.1 million viewers, which was itself a report low and down from 2023’s 4.5 million.
Former actuality TV star Trump was the primary US president to host the awards gala, which this yr honored “Rocky” actor Sylvester Stallone, “Phantom of the Opera” star Michael Crawford, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and nation legend George Strait.
Since returning to workplace in January, the 79-year-old Republican has launched a forceful takeover of the middle, branding it too “woke” and putting in himself as chairman of a hand-picked board.
Shortly earlier than the December 23 broadcast of the awards ceremony, which was taped on December 7, Trump took to his Reality Social community to say he was internet hosting it on the request of “nearly all people.”
“Inform me what you consider my ‘Grasp of Ceremony’ skills. If actually good, would you want me to go away the Presidency with a view to make ‘internet hosting’ a full time job?” he posted.
The middle was renamed the Trump-Kennedy Heart earlier this month in a vote by the board that sparked outrage from members of the family of the late John F. Kennedy.
Various artists together with a outstanding jazz group and a dance firm have since canceled reveals on the heart to protest the brand new title.
Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the humanities heart, denounced the performers canceling reveals and stated they “have been booked by the earlier far left management.”
“Boycotting the Arts to point out you assist the Arts is a type of derangement syndrome,” he wrote on X late Monday.
In accordance with US media studies, ticket gross sales have declined because the new board of administrators took over.
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