Kennedy Center ‘Grateful’ Trumps ‘Graciously’ Not Attending 2017 Honors Celebration

“The Administration Has Graciously Signaled its Respect for the Kennedy Center”

The Kennedy Center’s chairman and president issued a joint statement on Saturday saying they were “grateful for this gesture” following the White House’s announcement that Donald and Melania Trump will not attend this year’s Honors celebration.

The Kennedy Center Honors, a national celebration of the arts, will hold its 40th annual national celebration on December 3rd. The 2017 recipients are American dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, Cuban American singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, American hip hop artist and entertainment icon LL COOL J, American television writer and producer Norman Lear, and American musician and record producer Lionel Richie. 

Both de Lavallade and Lear had previously announced that they would not attend the related White House reception this year, with de Lavallade citing the “socially divisive and morally caustic narrative that our current leadership is choosing to engage in.” 

Following this, the White House released a statement announcing that Donald and Melania Trump will not attend. “Each year, the Kennedy Center honors the careers and achievements of artists who have helped shape cultural life in the United States with a weekend that includes celebrations and events,” the statement began. 

“The President and First Lady have decided not to participate in this year’s activities,” it continued, “to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction.”

The full statement:

Following the announcement, Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein and President Deborah F. Rutter released a joint statement advising they were “grateful for this gesture” by the White House. 

“The Kennedy Center respects the decision made today by the office of the President of the United States,” the statement began. In choosing not to participate in this year’s Honors activities, the Administration has graciously signaled its respect for the Kennedy Center and ensures the Honors gala remains a deservingly special moment for the Honorees. We are grateful for this gesture.”

They further advised that the State Department Dinner and Awards Ceremony on December 2nd, as well as the Honors Gala on the 3rd, will “continue as planned” – but the pre-gala White House Reception “will no longer take place.”

The full statement can be read below:

 Some reactions, via Twitter:

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Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license