‘Wonderful; It Was Once Dull’

KISS Members Reflect on Honor from President Trump

KISS bassist Gene Simmons shared his thoughts with Breitbart News during the Kennedy Center Honors, expressing that President Donald Trump’s Oval Office is quite “amazing.”

In a brief conversation before the event, Simmons discussed the significance of being honored by the president and offered his take on the decor in the Oval Office, particularly noting its collection of presidential portraits and gold accents.

“It’s not the worst thing,” he remarked when referring to KISS receiving the Kennedy Center Medal of Honor the previous night.

Simmons compared Trump’s Oval Office to those of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, praising its revitalized atmosphere. “It used to be a deserted place. I came here through Clinton and Bush, and it used to be a pretty deserted place. It’s coming back to life. I think it’s great,” he shared.

Bandmates Paul Stanley and Peter Criss also spoke with Breitbart News about their feelings regarding the honor. Stanley called it “an incredible honor” and described the experience as surreal. “As a kid who grew up with nothing, to be in the White House and the Oval Office and being praised by the president is something I can’t even imagine,” he said.

He added, “That’s what makes America great. If we work hard, we can accomplish anything we set out to do. With hard work, anything is possible.” Stanley expressed his gratitude, saying he was happy to share the moment with his wife.

Criss echoed the sentiment, noting the historic significance of the location. “You could feel the atmosphere in the room. I looked at the desk and thought, ‘Yes, this is where Roosevelt sat during the war. That’s where Lincoln sat. That’s where JFK sat.’ I was a big JFK kid,” he reflected. He found the Oval Office smaller than expected, yet the historical weight, with images of Lincoln and Washington adorning the walls, was striking. “As a kid from Brooklyn, I never thought I’d be sitting in the Oval Office with the president of the United States,” added Criss. “So, it was great.”