US President Donald Trump has welcomed the cancellation of an award ceremony that was set to honour actor Tom Hanks at the US Military Academy at West Point. The ceremony, organised by West Point’s alumni association, was intended to present Hanks with the 2025 Sylvanus Thayer Award.
The alumni association announced last week that the event would no longer take place. Hanks, known for his roles in military-themed films and his support of veterans, was scheduled to receive the award on September 25. The Sylvanus Thayer Award, established in 1958, is given annually to a US citizen whose service and achievements reflect the values of West Point’s motto: “Duty, Honour, Country.”
Trump labels Hanks ‘woke’ and ‘destructive’
President Trump celebrated the decision in a post on his social media platform, describing it as an “important move.” He stated, “We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!! Hopefully the Academy Awards, and other Fake Award Shows, will review their Standards and Practices in the name of Fairness and Justice,” as reported by the Associated Press.
Hanks has been openly critical of Trump and has supported various Democratic politicians and progressive causes. He endorsed Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden during their presidential campaigns and was actively involved in Biden’s 2021 inauguration, hosting a prime-time TV special titled Celebrating America. He also served as a celebrity co-chair of When We All Vote, a civic engagement initiative founded by Michelle Obama.
West Point officials and alumni respond to cancellation
According to the Associated Press, West Point, its alumni association, and representatives for Hanks did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, retired Army Colonel Mark Bieger, president and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, stated in an email that cancelling the ceremony would “allow the Academy to continue its focus on its core mission of preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win as officers in the world’s most lethal force, the United States Army.” This was first reported by The Washington Post.
Robert McDonald, chairman of the association’s board, had previously praised Hanks in a June press release, saying, “Tom Hanks has done more for the positive portrayal of the American service member, more for the caring of the American veteran, their caregivers and their family, and more for the American space programme and all branches of government than many other Americans,” the Associated Press noted.
Hanks' military-related work and political activism
Hanks is widely known for his role in the 1998 war film Saving Private Ryan and for co-producing the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers with Steven Spielberg. He also narrated The Road We’ve Travelled, a campaign documentary for Obama in 2012, and a two-minute ad in 2021 from the Biden Inaugural Committee. In 2023, he warned against twisting the truth in public service during a Harvard commencement speech.
In a 2016 interview, Hanks referred to then-candidate Trump as a “self-involved gasbag,” and later criticised Trump’s proposed travel ban during an ACLU fundraiser. In recent years, he has also portrayed caricatures of Trump supporters, including during the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live.
Changes to West Point under Trump’s education directives
The cancellation comes amid broader efforts by Trump to influence the ideology and governance of higher education and military institutions during his current term. According to the outlet, the Army secretary instructed West Point to review hiring practices, block external groups from making staffing decisions, and remove a recent hire who had led the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during Biden’s administration.
Earlier this year, West Point also disbanded a dozen cadet clubs focused on ethnicity, gender, race, and sexuality, following Trump administration directives to eliminate diversity programmes across government entities. Additionally, a painting of General Robert E. Lee in Confederate uniform was reinstalled in the academy’s library.
Last year, former President Barack Obama received the Sylvanus Thayer Award, continuing the tradition of recognising prominent national figures.
The alumni association announced last week that the event would no longer take place. Hanks, known for his roles in military-themed films and his support of veterans, was scheduled to receive the award on September 25. The Sylvanus Thayer Award, established in 1958, is given annually to a US citizen whose service and achievements reflect the values of West Point’s motto: “Duty, Honour, Country.”
Trump labels Hanks ‘woke’ and ‘destructive’
President Trump celebrated the decision in a post on his social media platform, describing it as an “important move.” He stated, “We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!! Hopefully the Academy Awards, and other Fake Award Shows, will review their Standards and Practices in the name of Fairness and Justice,” as reported by the Associated Press.
Hanks has been openly critical of Trump and has supported various Democratic politicians and progressive causes. He endorsed Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden during their presidential campaigns and was actively involved in Biden’s 2021 inauguration, hosting a prime-time TV special titled Celebrating America. He also served as a celebrity co-chair of When We All Vote, a civic engagement initiative founded by Michelle Obama.
West Point officials and alumni respond to cancellation
According to the Associated Press, West Point, its alumni association, and representatives for Hanks did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, retired Army Colonel Mark Bieger, president and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, stated in an email that cancelling the ceremony would “allow the Academy to continue its focus on its core mission of preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win as officers in the world’s most lethal force, the United States Army.” This was first reported by The Washington Post.
Robert McDonald, chairman of the association’s board, had previously praised Hanks in a June press release, saying, “Tom Hanks has done more for the positive portrayal of the American service member, more for the caring of the American veteran, their caregivers and their family, and more for the American space programme and all branches of government than many other Americans,” the Associated Press noted.
Hanks' military-related work and political activism
Hanks is widely known for his role in the 1998 war film Saving Private Ryan and for co-producing the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers with Steven Spielberg. He also narrated The Road We’ve Travelled, a campaign documentary for Obama in 2012, and a two-minute ad in 2021 from the Biden Inaugural Committee. In 2023, he warned against twisting the truth in public service during a Harvard commencement speech.
In a 2016 interview, Hanks referred to then-candidate Trump as a “self-involved gasbag,” and later criticised Trump’s proposed travel ban during an ACLU fundraiser. In recent years, he has also portrayed caricatures of Trump supporters, including during the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live.
Changes to West Point under Trump’s education directives
The cancellation comes amid broader efforts by Trump to influence the ideology and governance of higher education and military institutions during his current term. According to the outlet, the Army secretary instructed West Point to review hiring practices, block external groups from making staffing decisions, and remove a recent hire who had led the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during Biden’s administration.
Earlier this year, West Point also disbanded a dozen cadet clubs focused on ethnicity, gender, race, and sexuality, following Trump administration directives to eliminate diversity programmes across government entities. Additionally, a painting of General Robert E. Lee in Confederate uniform was reinstalled in the academy’s library.
Last year, former President Barack Obama received the Sylvanus Thayer Award, continuing the tradition of recognising prominent national figures.
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