Tom Cruise refuses to be honored by Donald Trump (and Sylvester Stallone accepts)

Tom Cruise has declined to be one of President Donald Trump's honorees at the Kennedy Center Honors, the annual awards that recognize performing artists who contribute the most to American culture. The actor reportedly declined the offer due to "scheduling conflicts," according to the press. Washington Post.

The president is obsessed with redirecting American cultural policy – as seen with the announcement that All contents of Smithsonian museums will be reviewed– and, specifically, the Kennedy Center, where he has fired several directors and placed himself on the board of trustees. In his first term, he was irritated by the names of the honorees, skipped some galas, and some artists threatened to boycott if he attended. Now that he has control of it, he's even decided to host this year's gala.

The honorees, he announced this week, will be country music legend George Strait, the glam metal band Kiss, theater star Michael Crawford, surviving singer Gloria Gaynor, and actor Sylvester Stallone. The ceremony will be on December 7. Trump has claimed that he decided the names himself: "They've all gone through me. I've knocked down a lot. I've had a couple of wokesters". He also admitted that he had always wanted that honor and never received it and – who knows if joking or serious – he has said that he wants the recognition next year. "We will make the Kennedy Center the crown jewel of American art and culture again," Trump declared. The latest chapter in the saga Mission: Impossible. Final Judgment, has other projects in the works, but there is speculation that his rejection of Trump is more political than professional. In fact, he will have time in November to receive the honorary Oscar for his entire career, an award for which he has been nominated four times (three as an actor for Jerry Maguire, Magnolia and Top Gun: Maverick) and has resisted him.

Cruise has so far avoided taking a position either for or against Donald Trump. He has even avoided answering specific questions, such as the one he was asked in South Korea about the tariffs Trump had just imposed on films shot abroad: "We prefer to answer questions about the film. Thank you," he said.