President Trump has selected Tom Cruise to receive this year’s Kennedy Center honors, but the Oscar-nominated actor declined the invitation, as reported recently.
The star of “Mission: Impossible” informed the president he could not attend the gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, DC, scheduled for December 7. This was detailed by the Washington Post on Thursday.
The decision from Cruise was confirmed by several anonymous sources linked to the center.
The 63-year-old actor just released “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” in May and is busy with multiple projects set for 2026.
If he had accepted, Cruise would have been one of several notable honorees at the event, alongside other nominees like Sylvester Stallone, the band Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and George Strait.
Interestingly, Cruise has remained somewhat detached from political discussions. He hasn’t endorsed either party and has recently dodged inquiries about Trump.
At a press event for his latest film, when asked about the effects of Trump’s tariffs on film production, he remarked, “I want to answer any questions about the film. Thank you.”
Trump, who oversees the Kennedy Center, will host the event.
He previously turned down an honor during his first term after certain artists announced they would not attend in protest.
This year, in an unexpected move, Trump announced the 2025 winners through a press conference rather than the traditional release.
Trump commented on Stallone’s portrayals in “Rambo” and “Rocky,” and noted that during the ceremony, Kiss would plan something “very special.”
He also shared that he was “deeply involved” in the selection process and excluded some potential honorees, stating, “I refused a lot. They were too woke.” He added critiques about the Academy Awards and how they’re often focused on negative views toward him.
Trump regards the honors as “one of the most prestigious awards in the performing arts,” humorously referencing his own previous work on “The Apprentice” for the following year.
