‘Next Year We Will Honor Trump’: Trump Announces Kennedy Center Honors, Says He Always Wanted One

President Donald Trump announced this year’s Kennedy Center honorees on Wednesday in freewheeling remarks full of bombastic quips and some self-flattery.

“And we’ll make it better than it ever was, frankly. It’ll be something that people are going to be very proud of. Along with, in the bigger picture, a place called Washington, D.C. That is the bigger one, and we’ll talk about that in a little while. But let’s talk about, right now, the Kennedy Center, and I’m delighted to be here as we officially announce the incredibly talented artists who will be celebrated later this year at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors,” began the president, who also announced he will host.

“It’s going to be a big evening. I’ve been asked to host. I said, ‘I’m the president of the United States. Are you fools asking me to do that?’ ‘Sir, you’ll get much higher ratings.’ I said, ‘I don’t care. I’m president of United States, I won’t do it.’ They said, ‘Please.’ And then Susie Wiles said to me, ‘Sir, why can’t you host?’ I said, ‘Okay, Susie, I’ll do it.’ That’s the power she’s got,” Trump said, adding:

But I just, so I have agreed to host. Do you believe what I have to do? And I didn’t want to do it, okay? They’re going to say he insisted. I did not insist. But I think it will be quite successful, actually. It’s been a long time. I used to host the Apprentice finales, and we did rather well with that. So I think we’re going to do very well, because we have some great honorees, some really great ones.

Since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have been among the most prestigious awards in the performing arts. I wanted one. I was never able to get one. This year, it’s true, actually. I would have taken it if they would have called me. I waited and waited and I said, “To hell with it, I’ll become chairman and I’ll give myself an honor.” Maybe I’m going to honor, next year we’ll honor Trump, okay?

Trump then began announcing the honorees one by one, “This year the board has selected a truly exceptional class of honorees, I mean, really exceptional. First is country music star, actor and producer, George Strait.”

Watch the clip above via Fox News.