Tom Cruise rejects Trump's invitation to honor him.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Sea _ Translations: U.S. President Donald Trump nominated actor Tom Cruise to receive this year's honor at the Kennedy Center Honors, but was met with rejection from the Oscar winner, according to a new report. According to a report in the Washington Post, Cruise told the president that he could not attend the ceremony scheduled for December 7 at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington due to a "scheduling conflict." Several sources at the center confirmed Cruise's rejection of the invitation. Cruise was expected to top the list of honorees for the event, after Trump chose five artists who hold a special place for him, including actor Sylvester Stallone, the rock band Kiss, opera singer Gloria Gaynor, British actor Michael Crawford, and country music star George Strait. Cruise has shied away from entering the political arena, preferring not to talk about any party, and recently avoided answering a question about Trump. During his media tour for his latest film, he was asked by a Korean journalist about the impact of Trump's tariffs on the film's production, and he replied, "We prefer to answer questions about the film, thank you." Trump, chairman of the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, will attend the ceremony as host. Trump avoided participating in the ceremony during his first presidential term after artists announced a boycott in protest. Trump, 79, broke the tradition of announcing the 2025 honorees via a press release, revealing his choices during a press conference held on Wednesday.