Mumbai
Hollywood star Tom Cruise has reportedly declined a prestigious Kennedy Center Award from Donald Trump, citing "scheduling conflicts". The news, initially reported by The Washington Post and confirmed by anonymous Kennedy Center employees, indicates Trump's personal desire to include Cruise among his selected honorees.

The former president had intended to unveil Cruise alongside other prominent figures such as rock band KISS, singer Gloria Gaynor, and Rocky star Sylvester Stallone. Cruise, who is notoriously quiet on politically charged subjects, has maintained a public stance of neutrality.

This decision comes amidst a history of honorees declining or avoiding such awards to protest sitting presidents. For instance, Norman Lear refused to attend the White House Gala in 2017 to protest Trump’s policies, although he participated in the Trump-free Kennedy Honors broadcast. Similarly, The View host Ana Navarro publicly urged Gloria Gaynor not to accept the award from a president she called a "stain".

Trump, who claimed "98 percent" involvement in selecting honorees, admitted he rejected some names for being "too woke," and criticised the Academy Awards for being "all woke" with "lousy ratings". The 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors are scheduled for 7 December. Cruise has several upcoming projects, including the highly anticipated Top Gun 3, which could indeed present a scheduling conflict.