The View star Ana Navarro has pressured iconic singer Gloria Gaynor to decline a Kennedy Center honor because it is being presented by Donald Trump.
Navarro, 53, urged the I Will Survive songstress to heed her call with a lengthy missive to Instagram Thursday.
Gaynor, 81, had been named as one of the Kennedy Center Honors recipients for 2025 and is set to receive the prestigious medal in December.
‘Yesterday, Trump announced he picked her to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, which he plans to host,’ Navarro wrote. ‘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 Trump-hating Republican continued, before telling Gaynor who her fanbase was.
‘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!’ she begged.
The conservative is set to host the event following his takeover of the federally funded DC arts venue back in February.
The View’s Ana Navarro urged Gloria Gaynor, the singer of ‘I Will Survive’, to refuse her upcoming Kennedy Center award simply because it will be bestowed by Donald Trump on Thursday. She reminded the songstress that many of her fans are gay
Gloria Gaynor, 81, was named as one of the Kennedy Center Honors recipients for 2025, by Trump, on Wednesday. She’s seen performing in New York City in 2023
Trump – currently the center’s chairman – declared at the time the move was designed to put an end to events featuring performers in drag and other ‘woke’ spectacles.
Navarro – after reportedly pushing back against network requests to dial back her complaining about Trump last spring – urged Gaynor to take notice offering an anecdote about meeting the singer at a concert a few years ago in the process.
‘She gifted me a keychain that belted out “I Will Survive”, when you pressed it. Let’s just say, during first Trump term, I pressed it ’til it ran out of batteries.
Gaynor has so far showed no sign of heeding Navarro’s call, but has said she plans to accept the award.
‘My hope is that in accepting this honor, I can continue with the inspirational phenomenon that began with “I Will Survive,”‘ she said Wednesday in a statement.
‘Sharing my music and art on a global level to provide encouragement, hope, empowerment, inspiration, understanding, and unity is the core of my purpose.
Gaynor previously faced criticism from The View when Sunny Hostin sought to speak for her after she simply said she does not see herself as a feminist in May.
At the time, Gaynor said she was ‘not really’ a feminist in a remote interview with Metro, adding in what appeared to be an explanation, ‘I love men.’
He’s set to host the event following his forced takeover of the DC venue back in February. The center is funded by American taxpayers
At the time, the conservative – now the center’s chairman – said the move was designed to put an end to events featuring performers in drag
Navarro – after reportedly pushing back against network requests to dial back her complaining about Trump last spring – urged Gaynor to take notice
‘I grew up with five brothers, and I love men,’ she said after being asked what the most common misconception about her was.
‘The biggest misconception about me? Hmm. It may be dangerous to say this, but… that I’m a feminist,’ she said.
The following day, the all-female View panel attempted to take Gaynor to task.
‘I don’t know why equality is suddenly a bad thing,’ Hostin, 56, sniffed during a discussion about Gaynor’s rebuff of the label many have awarded to her.
‘I don’t know why diversity and inclusion and equality is such a bad thing.’
Sara Haines, a former correspondent for both GMA and Today, went as far as to suggest the singer was simply mistaken, and that she is a feminist without even realizing it.
Whoopi Goldberg, 69, jumpstarted the debate by asking her co-hosts why Gaynor, a black woman from New Jersey, even had such a reaction.
‘Because I think the feminist movement has changed over the decades, as to who the icons were, what the point and the mission was,’ Haines, 47, explained.
Gaynor previously faced criticism from The View when the hosts sought to speak for her after she said she was not a feminist
Sara Haines, a former correspondent for both GMA and Today, suggested the singer was simply mistaken, and that she is a feminist without even realizing it
Gaynor – seen here in her 70s heyday – never responded to the women’s criticism, as was the case this week with Navarro. She’s set to accept the award alongside other recipients like George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, and the band Kiss in December
‘But ultimately, feminism is just equality for women to have the same opportunities,’ she continued.
‘So, I think she really deeply is a feminist.’
Gaynor never responded to the women’s criticism, as was the case this week with Navarro
Her songs – many of them chart-topping hits – are still featured in an array of films and TV, with I Will Survive remaining her biggest hit.
She still performs today.
Other stars set to be honored at the celebration include George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, the rock band Kiss, and actor-singer Michael Crawford.
