Why Did Tom Cruise Really Turn Down Trump’s Kennedy Honor?
President Donald Trump has selected several famous stars to receive recognition at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, but Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise won’t be one of them, despite receiving an invitation.
According to The Washington Post, the Oscar-nominated actor had been tapped as a recipient at this year’s ceremony but told Trump that “scheduling conflicts” made his chances of attending the event an impossible mission. The outlet reports that “several anonymous sources” at the Center confirmed Cruise’s offer decline.
Cruise is currently working on an untitled Alejandro G. Iñárritu film, in which he stars as the lead and serves as a producer. Back in May, he released the latest instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, The Final Reckoning.
The Risky Business star has often stayed away from politics, keeping his political leanings to himself. During a press junket for the latest Mission: Impossible movie, Cruise was asked a question by a Korean reporter about the effect Trump’s tariffs had on the film’s production.
“We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you,” Cruise responded, per The New York Post.
After naming himself the chairman of the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center earlier this year, Trump announced the 2025 honorees during a press conference on Wednesday (August 13). The President named five performers, including actor Sylvester Stallone, rock band Kiss, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, British actor Michael Crawford, and country music star George Strait.
Trump, who will host the event, praised his choices and revealed he was “heavily involved” in the selection process, which involved cutting some celebrities he deemed to be “too woke.”
“I turned down plenty. They were too woke. I had a couple of wokesters,” he stated. “Look at the Academy Awards, it gets lousy ratings now. It’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore. That used to have 45 million people watching.”
The President also quipped that he could nominate himself next year for his work on The Apprentice, which he hosted and co-produced from 2004 to 2015 before launching his presidential campaign.
The Kennedy Center Honors, TBA, CBS
Tom Cruise
Hayley Atwell
Ving Rhames
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Henry Czerny
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Conversation8 Comments
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O
So, regardless of what the headline suggests, there is actually only speculation about why he refused the so-called 'honor' of the Kennedy Center Award.
And I have to say, this is one of the very, very few times I'll admire Cruise's action.
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A
Well, he is getting the honorary Oscar so it's not as if he needs any more awards right now...
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C
Have tremendous respect for Cruise's handling of this agenda-ridden question. Wish all celebrities would stick to their area of expertise, and stay out of poltiics altogether. One would think they'd realize they'd have a broader audience if they did so.
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O
Ah, the old "stay in your lane" argument. Problem is, politics doesn't allow people to "stay in their lane," because what's happening in government these days affects everyone so personally. Also, if everyone stayed in their own lane, this country would be living back in the 1930s, with very little progress in any direction.
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P
LIZA MINELLI DESERVES THE AWARD.
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A
Take it to the president!
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N
"Why Did Tom Cruise Really Turn Down Trump’s Kennedy Honor?" Self respect?
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O
Just because you can't attend the event in person, doesn't mean you can't accept the award. Cruise would rather not discuss his real reason. Very sad.
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