(MENAFN- Live Mint) Donald Trump on Saturday awarded the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees with their medals during a ceremony in the Oval Office. He called comedian Jimmy Kimmel's hosting“horrible”. Trump said that if he couldn't outdo Kimmel in terms of talent, then he didn't think he should be president.

“I've watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible. If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don't think I should be president," AP quoted Trump as saying.

According to a report by Deadline, Trump also said, "We have never had a president hosting the awards before. This is the first. I'm sure they'll give me great reviews, right? You know, they'll say he was horrible. He was terrible. It was a horrible situation. No, we'll do fine."

This year's honorees include actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford. During his first term, Trump largely ignored the Kennedy Center and its prestigious awards.

Since returning to office in January, however, he has implemented several changes, most notably removing the board of trustees and replacing them with Republican supporters who elected him as chairman. Trump has also slammed the center's programming and appearance, pledging to revamp both. Each honoree received a new medal, designed, created, and donated by Tiffany & Co., according to the Kennedy Center and Trump.

He also praised the group of artists he helped select as“perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class” ever assembled.

(This is a developing story. More to come)

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