Tom Cruise Quietly Distances Himself From Donald Trump as Celebrity–Politics Rift Widens

A widening gulf between Hollywood icon Tom Cruise and former President Donald Trump is drawing new scrutiny after multiple reports suggest the actor has deliberately avoided public association with Trump—despite the former president’s long-running, unusually intense admiration for him.

The most recent flashpoint came when The Washington Post reported that Cruise declined a 2025 Kennedy Center Honor to be presented by Trump, citing “scheduling conflicts.” While the explanation was diplomatic, sources close to the production say Cruise had no interest in receiving an award from Trump, whose political toxicity has increasingly become a liability for entertainers hoping to maintain bipartisan appeal.

The snub landed with particular force because Trump has spent years invoking Cruise’s name with near-obsessive frequency. At rallies and White House events, Trump repeatedly compared U.S. military generals and pilots to Cruise—praising them as “better looking,” “taller,” “stronger,” and “straight out of central casting.” In dozens of nearly identical anecdotes, Trump insisted that his generals “looked like Tom Cruise, but better,” recycling the comparison as a strange form of celebrity flattery.

Yet according to reporting from Page Six, Cruise has long kept Trump at arm’s length. The actor reportedly refused to ask Trump for help in 2020, when Cruise and director Doug Liman sought federal cooperation—including NASA authorization—for their ambitious plan to shoot a film in outer space. Despite Trump’s eagerness to insert himself into Hollywood projects, an insider told Page Six, “Tom didn’t want to ask for political reasons.” Cruise, who has spent decades cultivating an apolitical public image, was determined not to alienate global audiences by appearing aligned with Trump.

The contrast between Trump’s admiration and Cruise’s quiet avoidance has taken on a new dimension as Trump grows increasingly entangled in the entertainment industry’s business negotiations. Hollywood insiders say Trump’s approval—once irrelevant—has become an unexpected factor in the revival of certain film projects. Tech billionaire Larry Ellison, a close Trump ally, reportedly used his relationship with the former president to help revive the Rush Hour franchise and facilitate director Brett Ratner’s reentry into entertainment after multiple misconduct accusations.

Even so, Cruise appears unwilling to join the line of Hollywood figures willing to flatter Trump for access or financing. In an increasingly polarized industry where Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and others have openly courted Trump’s favor, Cruise stands out as one of the few major stars who has not played along.

For Trump, who often seeks validation from celebrities, the distance is palpable. The former president frequently boasts about actors, athletes, and billionaires who have visited him, called him, or praised him—real or imagined. A high-profile rejection from Cruise, one of the last remaining global movie stars, undercuts Trump’s desired image as a figure admired by Hollywood’s elite.

For Cruise, the calculation is simpler: stay silent, stay neutral, and avoid becoming another celebrity pulled into the gravitational chaos of Trump-era politics.

Trump may continue praising Cruise in speeches, but the actor’s message—delivered quietly, through refusals and absences—is unmistakable: “No thanks.”