Virulent criticisms ignored?
Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, emblematic members of Kiss, have not cheated their words towards Trump in recent years. Simmonswho initially supported the president, turned against him after the insurrection of January 6, 2021. He said:
Look at what this gentleman did to this country and polarization – he raised all the cockroaches to the top.
For his part, Paul Stanley qualified Trump as “Real danger for democracy” and “Chief of the Mafia”. He notably condemned the events of January 6, qualifying the attackers of the Capitol of “Terrorists”.
A surprising choice
Despite these virulent criticisms, Trump appointed Kiss among the winners of the Kennedy Center Honors 2025. The group thus joins other artists like George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford et Gloria Gaynor.
This decision comes in a tense context for the Kennedy Center. Since the takeover by Trump, the institution has experienced numerous resignations and cancellations of events.
A more conciliatory tone
Faced with this unexpected appointment, Simmons and Stanley adopted a more measured tone. In a statement to TMZ, Simmons said: “Kiss is the embodiment of the American dream. We are deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.”
Stanley added by stressing the importance of this distinction for the legacy of the group: “Since our first days, Kiss has embodied the American ideal according to which everything is possible and that hard work is bearing fruit. The prestige of Kennedy Center Honors cannot be overestimated and I accept this distinction in the name of the long inheritance of Kiss and all the members of the group who contributed to the creation of our emblematic group“