Kennedy Center Names 2026 Honorees, Including Anka and Garcia
The Kennedy Center named five lifetime achievement honorees Monday: Paul Anka, David Foster, Andy Garcia, David Mamet and Barbara Mandrell. The ceremony moves to Capital One Arena on Dec. 7.
- 16 Grammys, one Emmy and one Golden Globe have gone to Foster.
- 1984 brought Mamet the drama Pulitzer for Glengarry Glen Ross.
- Anka wrote My Way and the Tonight Show theme for Johnny Carson.
- Garcia earned an Oscar nomination for The Godfather Part III.
Why it matters: The ceremony leaves the Kennedy Center for the first time. The building has been closed for months during a court fight over renovations and adding Trump's name.
- Anka, Mamet and Foster have publicly supported Trump; Mamet called him the best president since Lincoln.
- Trump fired the prior board, and its replacements named him chairman.
How 24 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage differs on emphasis: whether the story is the honorees' careers or the politics surrounding the institution and several honorees' ties to Trump.
Center coverage, 13 sources: The center frames the announcement through the renovation and naming dispute that pushed the show off-site.
Left coverage, 8 sources: The left places the honorees within Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center, noting ties to Trump, record-low ratings and artist boycotts, while entertainment outlets also highlight the honorees' careers.
Right coverage, 3 sources: The right focuses on the honorees' achievements and describes the closure as the administration's response to a building it says needs repairs.
What’s next: The 49th Honors will be held Dec. 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington.
- Trump called the class amazing artists whose work shaped American culture.
- Will Trump host the 2026 ceremony as he did in 2025?
- How will the federal court fight over the building's name and renovation resolve?
