Tom Cruise Says No to One Kennedy Center Honor

Tom Cruise has refused one of the highest honors from the Kennedy Center.

The actor was on a shortlist to receive a Kennedy Center Honors medal. However, per The Washington Post, Cruise turned it down.

The news outlet reports that the Mission Impossible star refused the honor due to scheduling conflicts. This information came from several current and former Kennedy Center employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss event plans.

It has been revealed that Cruise’s spokesperson has declined to comment on the honor. Additionally, Cruise has remained tight-lipped about his political affiliation in the past.

Donald Trump announced the honorees in a White House press release dated August 13, 2025. These artists have “shaped American culture and entertained generations,” it read.

Those being honored include George Strait, Michael Crawford, Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, and the band KISS.

The president said, per The Washington Post, that he was “very involved” in selecting the 2025 honorees. “I would say I was about 98 percent involved. They all went through me,” he said. “I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different.”

KISS founding member Gene Simmons told TMZ, “KISS is the embodiment of the American dream. We are deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.”

Simmons’s fellow KISS founder, Paul Stanley, added, "From our earliest days, KISS has embodied the American ideal that all things are possible and that hard work pays off. The prestige of the Kennedy Center Honors cannot be overstated, and I accept this on behalf of the long legacy of KISS and all of the band members who helped create our iconic band."

The honorees will be celebrated at the annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala in December.