Gospel singer CeCe Winans is facing criticism for praising her sister Debbie Winans, who performed at the Kennedy Center Honors at the Kennedy Center (which Donald Trump wants to be called the Trump Kennedy Center now) while some artists boycotted the event due to Trump’s involvement with the event. CeCe showed love to Debbie when she went to social media and posted a video of the performance.

“The Kennedy Honors were awesome! Great job Robert Deaton! And my baby sister @debbie.winans was incredible!!! 🔥 Praise God 🙌🏽” CeCe captioned the video.

Debbie Winans’ decision to perform at the Kennedy Center Honors was criticized

Shortly after CeCe congratulated Debbie on her performance, fans slammed her.

“This is very disappointing. I’ve unfollowed and stopped listening to so many Christian artists this year,” one person wrote on Threads. “The ones that have performed at Turning Point, Trump events and the CK Memorial, I’m done with them. If they support Trump or Turning Point, they support racists, facists, bigots and sex offenders. No tolerance for any of it.”

Another commenter advocated for shaming people who misuse their platform.

“CeCe Winans getting ate up on Threads wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card, but as we wrap up the year: Expose them all. Rebuke them all. Correct them all,” the person wrote on Threads, according to the Atlanta Black Star. “And let us do better at how we elevate people to these platforms.”

While criticizing Debbie, some fans said CeCe deserves the same amount of blame for failing to stand against the Trump administration.

“Cece Winans needs to be canceled too. How can any so called Christian support such a vile, racist regime? 60 years of progress in Civil Rights erased in a year.. Mahalia Jackson would neva,” another Threads user wrote.

In 2020, CeCe faced criticism when she appeared in an ad that seemingly supported how Trump was handling the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atlanta BlackStar reported. At the time, CeCe explained that the message is not about supporting Trump, but more about advocating for public health.

Gloria Gaynor also performed at the Kennedy Center Honors and received backlash

Grammy-winning singer Gloria Gaynor also performed at the event and faced similar backlash as Debbie Winans.

“Kid Rock, Gloria Gaynor and The Village People are the only one left for him,” one person wrote on X, referring to Trump.

Gaynor, however, expressed how happy she was to meet Trump.

“It was wonderful. It was, I mean, like the third or fourth time meeting him,” she told People. “I’d met him before, and he’s always very personable and very pleasant.”

She also said Trump told her that her music “had done so much for so many people.”

Trump renamed the Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center has become a controversial talking point in the past year as Trump continues to bring unpopular changes to the facility. In addition to choosing himself as the board chair of the center, Trump elected his closest supporters for the board of trustees, The Grio reported.

In recent weeks, the Kennedy Center was rebranded under a new name: The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Along with many people who were angered by Trump’s decision to rename the center, the Kennedy family expressed their disappointment.

“Perhaps the board isn’t aware that the Kennedy Center is THE memorial to the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy,” Tim Shriver, the nephew of John F. Kennedy, wrote on X. “Would they rename the Lincoln memorial? The Jefferson? That would be an insult to great presidents. This too is an insult to a great president. Notwithstanding their short-sighted action, it is and will remain the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.”

Maria Shriver, JFK’s niece, chimed in as well: “The Kennedy Center was named after my uncle, President John F Kennedy. It was named in his honor. He was a man who was interested in the arts, interested in culture, interested in education, language, history. He brought the arts into the White House, and he and my Aunt Jackie amplified the arts, celebrated the arts, stood up for the arts and artists.”

She added, “It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy. It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable.”