Trump’s Wednesday announcement had the feel of both an awards reveal and a political rally. Seated in the front row to Trump’s left were South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, whom Trump congratulated on his poll numbers in his reelection campaign, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

President Donald Trump will appear at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, where he’s expected to announce the first recipients of its hallmark honors since he seized control of the institution’s board earlier this year.

Trump avoided the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term after artists said they would not attend out of protest. This year, the Republican president has taken over as the Kennedy Center’s new chairman and fired the board of trustees, which he replaced with loyalists.