Cheap Trick Defends Performing at Trump’s Kennedy Center Honors Amid Backlash: ‘We Agreed to Do It’ to ‘Pay Tribute to Our Lifelong Brothers in KISS’

Cheap Trick, the veteran rock band, has encountered a wave of criticism from fans after performing at the latest Kennedy Center Honors. The event, which was chaired by former President Donald J. Trump, has grown increasingly politicized since his appointment to the board, leading some supporters to renounce the band. In response to the backlash and concurrent praise from Trump's base, the group has released a statement to clarify its motives.

According to the post on their official social media accounts, the band's sole purpose was to honor fellow musicians. "Our invitation to this year's ceremony was accepted to pay homage to our lifelong friends in KISS and to show support for artists and the arts," the statement read. "We participated for those reasons exclusively." The ceremony, set to broadcast on CBS December 23, featured tributes to a slate of honorees including KISS, Sylvester Stallone, country star George Strait, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, and actor Michael Crawford. Notably, all reported having cordial relationships with Trump, a shift from the event's historically non-partisan nature. For their part, Cheap Trick performed KISS's classic "Rock 'N Roll All Nite."

This appearance placed the band in a contentious spotlight, as Trump is perceived by many in the artistic community as adversarial toward the arts. This context made their participation puzzling to some, given their previous political caution. Historically, the band declined a $100,000 offer to play at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Frontman Robin Zander joked at the time to The Guardian that such a gig might require "swastika guitars," while bassist Tom Petersson succinctly said they had "thought better of it." This precedent led some observers to view the Kennedy Center performance as a tacit endorsement, an interpretation the band now firmly rejects.

The fan reaction to their explanatory statement has been sharply divided online. Comments range from charges of legitimizing a "madness" and vows to abandon fandom, to defenses of the band's artistic freedom and appreciation for their loyalty to KISS. Some noted the statement stopped short of an apology, while others pointed to the absence of founding drummer Bun E. Carlos—who left the touring lineup in 2010—speculating about his potential stance. As cultural analyst Dr. Anya Petrova notes, "In today's climate, a performer's intended message at a politically symbolic event is often subsumed by the audience's perception, which can permanently reshape their public identity." The incident underscores the persistent difficulty artists face when navigating tributes within deeply polarized cultural landscapes.