On Friday afternoon, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—America’s premier stage for theater, opera, ballet, and symphonic music—will briefly become an unlikely hub of the sports world as FIFA announces the matchups for next year’s World Cup from its Washington, D.C., campus. By Sunday, the Kennedy Center will snap back to tradition, hosting its annual Kennedy Center Honors program celebrating some of the nation’s most accomplished artists.
What links the two very different headline moments is President Donald Trump’s personal involvement.
Trump worked closely with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to move the World Cup draw to the Kennedy Center after it was widely expected to land in Las Vegas—bringing a major global event to the nation’s capital and one of its most recognizable institutions. FIFA may also further spotlight Trump during the ceremony through a newly created peace prize.
Infantino has not confirmed that Trump will receive the award, but their relationship has been notably warm. Trump has openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, and on the same day last month that FIFA announced the new honor, Infantino praised Trump as a “close friend” who has “such an incredible energy.”
If that weren’t enough attention for one weekend, Trump is also expected—if current plans hold—to step into a role once held by broadcasting icon Walter Cronkite and other well-known figures by hosting the Kennedy Center Honors. The Honors, one of the country’s signature cultural celebrations, are typically a straightforward tribute to lifetime artistic achievement.
When Trump announced this year’s honorees at the Kennedy Center in August, he framed his hosting decision as a practical response to a request from his chief of staff.
“I’ve been asked to host,” he said. “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.’”
The weekend’s split-screen—World Cup ceremony one day, Kennedy Center gala the next—highlights a familiar dynamic for Trump. A two-term president, bestselling author, and former reality television star, he remains at home in high-visibility settings. And whether the spotlight is on global sports or American culture, this week makes clear that Trump’s favorite role is still the showman’s.
