Disco icon Gloria Gaynor has been outed as a major MAGA donor following her surprise selection to receive a prestigious Kennedy Center honor by Donald Trump.
The revelation comes just two weeks after Gaynor, 81, who is best known for her 1978 anthem “I Will Survive,” was announced as an honoree for the upcoming 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, which will be hosted by Trump himself. Gaynor, alongside Tulsa King star Sylvester Stallone, country singer George Strait, British actor Michael Crawford, and rock band KISS, will be among the first to receive the prestigious award since President Donald Trump took over the institution by firing a number of board members and appointing himself as the chairman.
Following the swift backlash and speculation on whether she would accept, Gaynor has since confirmed that she will indeed attend the event.
“My hope is that in accepting this honor, I can continue with the inspirational phenomenon that began with ‘I Will Survive,’” she said in a statement released Wednesday. “Sharing my music and art on a global level to provide encouragement, hope, empowerment, inspiration, understanding, and unity is the core of my purpose.”
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According to FEC records first reported by Meidas Touch and reviewed by the Independent, Gaynor — whose legal name is Gloria Fowles — has contributed nearly $22,000 to Republican politicians and conservative groups since 2023.
In 2016, Gaynor reportedly donated $235.00 in support of Ben Carson, but, according to FEC donation records, didn’t donate politically for years afterwards until the 2023-2024 political season; that’s when it was uncovered that Gaynor had donated multiple times to right-wing candidates and groups reaching more than $20,000. Republicans and groups who have benefited from Gaynor’s donations include:
Mike Johnson – $2160.57
Kevin McCarthy – $356.15
The National Republican Senatorial Committee – $1190.53
Marsha Blackburn – $2041.50
Dave McCormick – $1223.05
Josh Hawley – $1242.28
Ted Cruz – $476.18
Marco Rubio – $114.10
Maria Elvira Salazar – $242.18
Mazi Pilip – $682.28
Elise Stefanik – $1173.05
Nick Begich – $847.76
Wesley Hunt – $868.00
Jim Jordan – $1173.05
Vivek Ramaswamy – $1219.14
Nikki Haley – $1123.05
Ben Carson – $235.00
Steve Garvey – $1023.05
Mayra Flores – $1123.05
Daniel Norber – $1115.04
Tayler Rahm – $1065.04
Service and Honor / Jake Ellzey – $827.52
New Journey PAC – $610.25
FEC records do not show any evidence, however, that Gaynor donated directly to President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.
Among the political action committees that Gaynor has donated to is New Journey PAC, a group that targets Black voters with MAGA candidates, including Trump and Byron Donalds. The recording artist’s donations mainly support MAGA Republican candidates and causes.
In the past, Gaynor has repeatedly declined to define her political affiliations. In a 2017 address to the Library of Congress, for example, Gaynor insisted that she is “not a political person” and that she was “not about to really become political.”
The disclosures shed new light on Trump’s decision to include Gaynor among this year’s honorees after controversially taking control of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts earlier this year. During the announcement, Trump praised Gaynor’s career longevity and cultural impact.
“To have the two, top two, top of anything in that span of time, and with that kind of period between, is pretty amazing. But I will say that ‘I Will Survive’ is an unbelievable song,” he said. “I’ve heard it, you know, like everyone else here, thousands of times, and it’s one of those few that get better every time you hear it, and nobody can sing it like her.”
Reaction to Gaynor’s inclusion has been swift and divided. Many in the LGBTQ+ community — which helped elevate “I Will Survive” into an anthem of resilience — expressed disappointment in her decision to accept an honor from Trump while also backing conservative candidates. Following the backlash, Gaynor deleted her X account and has restricted comments on Instagram.
Ana Navarro, co-host of The View, took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the matter, calling Gaynor a “goddess” who deserves her “flowers,” while also acknowledging discomfort and urging her to decline, saying:
“Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way. But I wish she wouldn’t accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color, and LGBTQ. The gay community, in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem. Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Don’t do it, Gloria!”
In February, Trump announced a massive overhaul at the Kennedy Center, which included the termination of multiple board of trustees members, including Chairman David Rubenstein. In his remarks on Aug. 13, the president reiterated the desire to restore the center to what he saw as its former glory and to end its elevation of “woke” material.
The show will air later this year on CBS.
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