Pakistan, Aug. 15 -- Hollywood star Tom Cruise has reportedly declined an invitation from former US President Donald Trump to join the first group of Kennedy Center Honorees. The Mission: Impossible actor cited "scheduling conflicts" as the reason for his decision, surprising many fans and industry insiders.

Donald Trump, who was heavily involved in selecting the honorees, said he was "about 98 percent involved" in the process. He noted that all selections went through him and emphasized that the current group was "very different" compared to previous years.

This year's Kennedy Center Honorees include Sylvester Stallone, the legendary rock band KISS, country icon George Strait, singer Gloria Gaynor, and acclaimed actor Michael Crawford....