Gloria Gaynor’s biggest hit, the 1978 disco staple “I Will Survive,” became a de facto gay anthem amid the AIDS crisis that followed shortly thereafter. It was a bit of a head-scratcher when Donald Trump — who appointed himself head of the Kennedy Center earlier this year — announced that Gaynor would be one of 2025’s Kennedy Center Honorees, an accolade the president said he’d declined to candidates he considered “too woke.” For obvious reasons, some people have been urging Gaynor to reject the award. But it turns out Gaynor is actually a frequent donator to MAGA Republicans.
MeidasTouch pointed out this week that Gaynor, whose real name is Gloria Fowles, has donated thousands of dollars to conservative politicians and the pro-Trump PAC WinRed since 2023. The lawmakers in question include Mike Johnson, Marsha Blackburn, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and more.
Other Kennedy Center Honorees this year will include KISS, George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, and Phantom Of The Opera (Trump’s favorite musical) star Michael Crawford. Trump will host the award show, which is taking place Dec. 7.