President Donald Trump is honoring an Oscar-winning actor, a bluegrass-country musician, a conservative think tank and others with the most prestigious national honors in the arts and humanities.
It is the first time during his nearly three-year-old presidency that Trump has awarded the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal.
Thursday’s honorees include actor Jon Voight, musician Alison Krauss and novelist James Patterson.
President Donald Trump greets Jon Voight during a National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, in Washington. (AP PhotoAlex Brandon)
The White House ceremony also marks a rare warm moment between artists and Trump. The president has had a chilly relationship with a broad swath of Hollywood and the arts world, which has shunned Trump over his immigration policies, his Supreme Court picks, his administration’s efforts to roll back abortion rights and other issues.