Tom Cruise Reportedly Declined Invitation to Receive Kennedy Center Honor

The President of the United States announced the Kennedy Center Honors recipients earlier this week, stating that he personally approved the list. The "Top Gun: Maverick" star was reportedly also in the running.

Tom Cruise was nearly named honoree for the 48th Kennedy Center Honors, which are slated to take place in December of this year. The annual ceremony recognizes individuals in the performing arts for their contributions to American culture through their craft.

President Donald Trump announced this year's recipients from the Hall of Nations at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, August 13. They include country icon George Strait, actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, Broadway star Michael Crawford, and the band KISS.

According to several current and former Kennedy Center employees who spoke to The Washington Post, Cruise was also offered the honors but reportedly declined due to scheduling conflicts.

During the press conference, Trump said he was "very involved" in the selection of the 2025 honorees and rejected some of the suggested names. "I would say I was about 98 percent involved. They all went through me," he said.

"I turned down plenty. They were too woke. I had a couple of wokesters," the president, who also shared that he had always wanted a Kennedy Center Honor but never received one, added. "Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different."