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US President Donald Trump has unveiled the slate of stars who will be honoured at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors later this year. They include rockers Kiss, Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone and ‘I Will Survive’ singer Gloria Gaynor.

As the new chairman of the Kennedy Center, Trump announced the honorees himself during a Wednesday press conference at the site.

Unlike in his first term, when he didn’t even attend the honours ceremony, he announced that he would be hosting it later this year and that he had been deeply involved with the selection process. 

However, there is one star who will not be making an appearance: Tom Cruise.  

According to The Washington Post, the film star declined the lifetime achievement award, citing “scheduling conflicts.” The claim was reportedly confirmed by “several” former and current Kennedy Center employees. 

Cruise is fresh off the release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, and the actor has several projects coming, which may make it difficult for him to attend the December ceremony. That, or it is speculated that he refusal may have other motivations, considering he will reportedly be present to receive his honourary Oscar in November.

The actor has not publicly commented on President Trump’s politics and recently declined to answer a Trump question while promoting the latest Mission: Impossible film in South Korea.

Cruise was speaking at a Q&A panel when a reporter asked a question about the possible tariffs imposed by Trump on movie productions.

“I watched this film and I saw that it was filmed in many different locations around the world, including Africa,” began the reporter. “Of course, we all are aware of the tariffs that President Donald Trump has been imposing on overseas productions and films. So, is this particular movie under that tariff? And how much of the film was shot overseas?” 

Cruise told the moderator: “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.” 

During the announcement of this year’s Kennedy Center honourees, Trump claimed he “waited and waited” to receive the award himself but “was never able to get one.” 

He then suggested he might choose himself for a future award. 

“I waited and waited and waited, and I said, ‘The hell with it, I’ll become chairman and I’ll give myself an honour,’” he said. “Next year, we’ll honour Trump, okay?” 

He also stated that he “turned down plenty” of candidates for the honours list because of their politics. 

“They were too woke. I had a couple of wokesters,” Trump said. 

Stallone has a history of backing Trump, while founding Kiss member Ace Frehley endorsed Trump in 2020, so that tracks. However, Gloria Gaynor doesn’t fit the bill as much. 

American chat show host Ana Navarro, who hosts The View, has publicly shared that she hopes Gaynor would turn down the award because of Trump’s involvement. 

“A few years ago, I got to briefly meet @gloriagaynor at a concert in Miami. She gifted me a keychain that belted out ‘I Will Survive,’ when you pressed it. Let’s just say, during first Trump term, I pressed it til it ran out of batteries,” Navarro began in her Instagram post.

“Yesterday, Trump announced he picked her to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, which he plans to host. Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way. But I wish she wouldn’t accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ. The gay community in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem.” 

She added: “Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Don’t do it, Gloria!” 

Trump took over as chairman of the Kennedy Center this year after he fired and replaced several members of the board with his own political supporters.

He has vowed to steer the organsiation in a different direction, saying that it was “not going to be woke.”

His revamp of the Kennedy Center fits in with his ongoing push to overhaul cultural institutions like the Smithsonian museums.

This week, the White House sent a letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, laying out in detail the steps it expects the organization to take as part of an announced review ordering cultural institutions to align their content with Trump’s interpretation of American history.

The probe will look at all public-facing content, such as social media, exhibition text and educational materials, to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals,” according to the letter.

“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”

The 48th Kennedy Center Honors will take place in Washington D.C. on 7 December.