Tom Cruise declines Trump's invite to receive Kennedy Center Honor, here's why

WASHINGTON, DC: Tom Cruise has reportedly turned down a Lifetime Achievement-style honor at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, an event President Donald Trump plans to host in December personally.

Reports indicate that “several” of both current and former Kennedy Center employees have backed the claim.

Tom Cruise declines Donald Trump’s Kennedy Center honor

According to The Washington Post, the 'Mission: Impossible' actor was set to be unveiled alongside a star-studded list that included rock band KISS, singer Gloria Gaynor, country legend George Strait, stage star Michael Crawford, and actor Sylvester Stallone.

Several Kennedy Center staffers told the outlet that Cruise’s team informed organizers of “scheduling conflicts” preventing him from attending. The actor is juggling multiple upcoming projects that could make attending the December ceremony difficult.

Cruise has not made any public statements regarding President Trump’s political stance and recently chose not to respond to a question about his tariffs on film productions.

While revealing the list of honorees, Trump remarked that he had “waited and waited” to receive the award personally but “was never able to get one.” He added that he was “98% involved” in choosing the recipients, rejecting “plenty” over their political views without naming anyone specifically.

“They were too woke. I had a couple of wokesters,” Trump told reporters.

In 2025, Trump assumed the chairmanship of the Kennedy Center after removing several board members and replacing them with his political allies. He vowed to reshape the institution’s direction, insisting it would “not going to be woke” under his leadership, which led several artists to withdraw from upcoming performances.

Ana Navarro urges Gloria Gaynor to decline Donald Trump’s Kennedy Center honor

'The View' host Ana Navarro is calling on singer Gloria Gaynor to turn down her 2025 Kennedy Center Honor, which will be presented by Trump later this year.

In an Instagram post Thursday morning, Navarro shared a personal anecdote about meeting Gaynor at a Miami concert, recalling how the singer gifted her a keychain that played I Will Survive. “During the first Trump term, I pressed it until it ran out of batteries,” Navarro joked.

Navarro praised Gaynor’s career but argued that accepting the award from Trump would undermine its significance. “Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way,” Navarro wrote. “But I wish she wouldn’t accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ. The gay community, in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem. Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Don’t do it, Gloria!”

Trump revealed this year’s Kennedy Center honorees on Wednesday during a press event at the performing arts center in Washington, DC.