The White House released a statement that Donald Trump and Melania Trump will not be going to the annual Kennedy Center Honors following backlash from prior honorees — most notably Normal Lear, one of the honorees this year, who announced he’d be boycotting the ceremony.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee said it was  “to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction” and that the Trumps “extend their sincerest congratulations and well wishes to all of this year’s award recipients for their many accomplishments.”

Another boycotter is choreographer/dancer Carmen de Lavallade, who said she will skip the White House reception but will still attend the awards ceremony, tweeting: “In light of the socially divisive and morally caustic narrative that our current leadership is choosing to engage in, and in keeping with the principles that I and so many others have fought for, I will be declining the invitation to attend the reception at the White House.”

Other honorees Gloria Estefan, LL Cool J, and Lionel Riche all have criticized the president and are still on the fence about boycotting.

“I’m going to just play it by ear,” Richie told Today on Tuesday when asked if he would be attending. “I must tell you, I’m not really happy as to what’s going on right now with the controversies. They’re weekly, daily, hourly. But I think I’m just gonna wait it out for a minute, see where it’s going to be by that time.”