Kennedy Center Names Five 2026 Honorees; Venue Remains Closed for Renovations

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts named five recipients of its 2026 Kennedy Center Honors on Monday: singer-songwriter Paul Anka, record producer David Foster, actor Andy Garcia, playwright David Mamet and singer Barbara Mandrell. The board of trustees and President Donald Trump announced the honorees, and Trump said in a statement that their work had shaped American culture. The gala will be held Dec. 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., the first Honors ceremony held away from Kennedy Center property. The center remains closed for renovations, and the board voted Tuesday to close the performing arts venue immediately, hours after a federal judge ruled that Trump's name could not be restored to the facade. Trump had earlier threatened to demolish the building unless his name was returned.

Left-leaning Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times both cover the announcement but lead differently. Rolling Stone, under a headline naming Garcia, Foster and Anka, opens with the honorees' careers, featuring Garcia's Oscar nomination and his film Diamond's Cannes premiere, and its opening does not address the closure fight. The Los Angeles Times leads with the center's uncertain future, describing the honors as drawing more attention to a beleaguered institution, and recounts the renaming, the closure plans and the court rulings. Right-leaning Washington Examiner leads with the honorees list and the ceremony, quotes Trump's statement, and presents the closure as the administration's push, citing the building's need for construction and rehabilitation. It also notes that Anka, Mamet and Foster have publicly supported Trump, a detail the left outlets do not feature in their openings. All three agree on the names, date, venue and Trump's statement. Their main difference is emphasis: the Times centers the turmoil, while the Examiner centers the administration's stated reason for closing the building. Alternative outlets The A.V. Club and Stereogum focus on the honorees' ties to Trump.