Donald Trump called some people in the audience “miserable, horrible people” during the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, then said they were persistent. The ceremony took place on December 7, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The full quotation matters: “horrible people” alone leaves out the word “miserable.”
What did Trump say?
Trump made the remark while speaking about persistence, which he described as a shared quality of the evening’s honorees. The American Presidency Project transcript records his words:
“If there is one thread that connects all of these amazing artists together, it is the word ‘persistence.’ I can say that with a lot of the members of our audience. I know so many of you, and you are persistent. Many of you are miserable, horrible people, but you are persistent. You never give up. Sometimes, I wish you’d give up, but you don’t.”
The transcript identifies Trump as the speaker and notes that he spoke at 6:53 p.m. at the Kennedy Center. Read the American Presidency Project transcript.
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Who was the remark aimed at?
Trump addressed members of the audience collectively. The quoted passage does not identify a specific person as the target. The line came in the context of his comparison between the honorees’ persistence and that of some audience members; it does not establish that he was directing the insult at any named honoree.
What was the occasion?
The remarks came at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. The 2025 honorees were Sylvester Stallone, KISS, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford and George Strait. The Associated Press reported that Trump was the first president to host the ceremony. AP’s event report provides additional context.
After the intermission, Trump made a separate comment about people in the audience, saying some were people he loved and respected and some he hated. That later remark is distinct from his earlier “miserable, horrible people” line.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When did the ceremony air?
CBS/AP reported that the recorded ceremony was scheduled to air on CBS and Paramount+ on December 23, 2025. That report described the broadcast schedule at the time; it does not establish whether the ceremony is available to watch on either service now. Read the CBS/AP report.
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