Tom Cruise Declines Trump’s Kennedy Center Honors Invitation
President Trump had selected Tom Cruise to be among this year’s honorees at the Kennedy Center Honors, but the actor reportedly declined the offer. According to recent reports, the famed “Mission: Impossible” star cited “scheduling conflicts” as his reason for not attending the upcoming gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., set for December 7.
This information was corroborated by multiple anonymous sources within the institution.
The 63-year-old actor released his latest film, "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," in May and is currently engaged in several projects slated for release in 2026.
Cruise was poised to headline a prestigious list of honorees identified by Trump, which also included notable figures such as actor Sylvester Stallone, the rock band Kiss, disco icon Gloria Gaynor, British actor Michael Crawford, and country musician George Strait.
While Cruise has typically avoided political discussions and has refrained from publicly addressing either political party, he recently sidestepped a query regarding Trump during a press event for his film.
At a press junket, a Korean reporter pressed Cruise on how Trump’s tariffs impacted film production. The actor responded, “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.”
Trump, who serves as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center, will officiate the honors ceremony. During his first term, he refrained from attending similar events after several artists expressed their intention to boycott them.
Breaking from convention, Trump announced the 2025 honorees—a group chosen as the first during his tenure—through a press conference rather than a press release.
In his remarks, Trump praised Stallone for his iconic roles in "Rambo" and "Rocky," claiming Gaynor’s 1978 anthem "I Will Survive" is one that "gets better every time." He further indicated that Kiss would be presenting something particularly memorable during the celebration.
Trump stated that he played an active role in selecting the honorees and eliminated several potential candidates.
During the announcement, Trump remarked, “I turned down plenty. They were too woke. I had a couple of wokesters,” referring to his decision-making process.
He lamented that events such as the Academy Awards have seen declining viewership, suggesting that the focus on political themes detracts from their appeal. “It used to attract 45 million viewers,” he stated.
Additionally, Trump described the Kennedy Center Honors as “among the most prestigious awards in the performing arts,” humorously suggesting he might need to honor himself next year for his previous work on “The Apprentice.”
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