Tom Cruise Declined Donald Trump's Invitation to Name Him as Kennedy Center Honoree

Tom Cruise reportedly declined Donald Trump’s offer to name him as a 2025 Kennedy Center honoree. The Mission Impossible star claimed to have “scheduling conflicts” for the ceremony that will be held later this year.

Among the honorees who accepted their recognition are country artist George Strait, actor Michael Crawford, actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor and rock band KISS.

On the day before the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees were announced, the Kennedy Center Twitter page posted a teaser tweet about who to expect as Trump’s nominations.

“A country music icon, an Englishman, a New York City Rock band, a dance Queen and a multi-billion dollar Actor walk into the Kennedy Center Opera House,” the Kennedy Center tweeted.

Before the honorees were revealed, the president wrote a Truth Social post about how excited he was to be able to contribute to the nomination process.

“GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS. They will be announced Wednesday. Tremendous work is being done, and money being spent, on bringing it back to the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment. It had fallen on hard times, physically, BUT WILL SOON BE MAKING A MAJOR COMEBACK!!! President DJT,” Trump boasted.

When Trump visited the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, August 13, he announced how the 2025 honorees are a “truly exceptional class.”

“This is a very exciting project,” the president added. “We're going to do something that will go rapidly, relatively inexpensively, and we’ll make it better than it ever was.”

Trump noted how he was “delighted to be here as we officially announce the incredible, talented artists who will be celebrated later this year at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors.”

Trump will host the 48th annual ceremony in December, which will also be televised. During his in-person announcement, the president joked about his duties, saying, “I have agreed to host — do you believe what I have to do?”

The president also shared why he chose the specific honorees, saying Crawford of Phantom of the Opera is “one of the greatest talents I’ve ever seen.” Trump said he nominated Gaynor because of her hit song “I Will Survive,” which he admitted he’s listened to “thousands of times.”

The president referred to the honorees as “outstanding people” who he looked forward to “celebrating” in December.

Among the 2024 Kennedy Center honorees were singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, the Grateful Dead, composer Arturo Sandoval and the Apollo Theater.