Tom Cruise, Hollywood’s “Mission: Impossible” star, turned down an invitation from President Donald Trump to receive a Kennedy Center Honor this December, sources report.
The 63-year-old actor cited “scheduling conflicts” as the reason for declining, leaving the Commander-in-Chief’s first honoree list under his stewardship one star short.
The invitation would have placed Cruise among a prestigious group handpicked by Trump, including Sylvester Stallone, rock band Kiss, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, British actor Michael Crawford, and country star George Strait.
The president, who serves as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center, revealed his honoree selections during a press conference rather than a traditional press release, showing his personal investment in the process.
According to anonymous sources at the Center, Cruise confirmed his inability to attend, a decision that comes as he continues promoting his latest “Mission: Impossible” film, The Final Reckoning, which released in May.
Cruise is also working on multiple other projects set for 2026, making his calendar particularly tight, as the New York Post reported.
Cruise has generally avoided entanglement in politics, maintaining a neutral stance and declining to comment on either party. During a recent press junket, when asked by a Korean reporter about Trump’s tariffs affecting his film production, Cruise simply replied, “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.”
Trump, who returned to hosting the Kennedy Center Honors after skipping them during his first term due to protests from artists, expressed excitement over his selections.
He praised Stallone’s iconic roles in Rocky and Rambo, called Gaynor’s 1978 hit “I Will Survive” timeless, and promised Kiss would deliver a special performance. Trump said he was “heavily involved” in filtering potential recipients to match his vision of the ceremony.
The Kennedy Center Honors are widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the performing arts. Trump joked about having to honor himself next year for his work on The Apprentice, highlighting his playful approach to the event.
He also criticized the Academy Awards as “too woke” and noted declining ratings, citing his belief that much of Hollywood is hostile toward him.
Cruise’s decision not to attend avoids politicizing his presence at the gala while maintaining his focus on entertainment projects. His rejection leaves Trump’s first Kennedy Center honoree class under his leadership slightly incomplete but still star-studded.
The Center, located in Washington, D.C., will host the ceremony on Dec. 7, 2025. While Cruise’s absence is notable, the other five honorees remain confirmed, promising a night full of legendary performances and tributes.
Trump’s hands-on approach to curating the list signals a continuation of his influence in the arts, blending personal taste with the long-standing prestige of the Kennedy Center Awards.
The post Tom Cruise Snubs Trump’s Kennedy Center Invite appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Anthony Gonzalez
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://resistthemainstream.org and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.
