Cheap Trick defended their Kennedy Center Honors performance as a tribute to lifelong brothers in KISS and a show of support for the arts, insisting there were no political motives behind their appearance.

The band, explaining their decision on Instagram, emphasized admiration for the KISS lineage and stated the invitation was accepted to honor artists and the arts, not to make a political statement.

The ceremony took place on December 7, alongside honorees such as George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, and Gloria Gaynor, and will be aired December 23 on CBS and Paramount+.

Coverage and editor attribution from Fox News are noted, with Trump framing the event within his broader critique of a ‘woke’ past.

The backlash reflects ongoing tensions about artistic participation in politically charged ceremonies and how appearances can be read as political statements regardless of intent.

The article’s gallery credit goes to photographer Matthew Wilkening.

ABC Audio provided contemporaneous reporting on the performance and the public reaction.

Bun E. Carlos’s absence from Cheap Trick is highlighted, pointing to changes in the band’s lineup over time.

Trump’s hosting role and administration’s Kennedy Center reforms sit at the center of debates about politics and the arts, including remarks from The View about possible decline of the honor by Gloria Gaynor.

Future statements may emerge after the televised broadcast, with potential comments from KISS members such as Paul Stanley as fan discussions continue.

The report is attributed to ABC News and published December 17, 2025, via the Everett Post.

Historically, Cheap Trick declined a 2016 Republican National Committee offer to perform, underscoring a cautious stance on political engagement and reaffirming their focus on kinship and the arts rather than politics.