President Trump praised the decision by the West Point alumni group to cancel an event honoring actor Tom Hanks, who has been a supporter of military veterans.
“Our Great West Point (always expanding!) wisely decided to scrap the awards ceremony for actor Tom Hanks. A significant move!” Trump posted on The Society of Truth. “We are destructive and hope that the valuable American recognition, including the Academy Awards, reassesses their standards for fairness and justice.”
The West Point Association of Alumni had planned to present Hanks with the Silvanus Sayer Award in June.
The Washington Post reported that the Military Academy has canceled this month’s ceremony, stating that this decision will allow West Point to concentrate on preparing for upcoming events.
Hanks is one of Hollywood’s most notable figures, having won several Academy Awards. In their announcement, the West Point Group mentioned his iconic roles in “Apollo 13” and “Saving Private Ryan,” as well as his work as a producer on projects like “Band of Brothers,” “The Pacific,” “Masters of the Air,” and “Greyhound.”
Hanks has also collaborated with former President Biden, serving as a national spokesperson for the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and played a role in fundraising for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. The alumni group also noted his coffee company, Hanx for Troops, which launched in 2023.
This cancellation reflects broader efforts by the Trump administration to shift the military away from what he and his supporters might label as “politically correct” or “woke” initiatives.
Since taking office, Trump has pushed the Pentagon to eliminate policies he regards as political correctness. The department has rolled back diversity programs and reversed name changes for military bases that had been renamed due to their association with Confederate figures.
Recently, Trump signed an executive order aiming to rename the Department of Defense to the War Bureau, arguing that the department had become “too woke,” and suggesting that the U.S. has not seen significant battlefield success since World War II.
