President Donald Trump expressed approval after the West Point Association of Graduates canceled an award ceremony that was set to honor actor Tom Hanks. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the decision as a “smart” one, claiming that Hanks would have been a “destructive, woke recipient” of the award.
“Our great West Point (getting greater all the time!) has smartly cancelled the Award Ceremony for actor Tom Hanks,” Trump wrote. “Important move! We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!!” He went on to encourage the Academy Awards and other similar events to reconsider their “Standards and Practices” for the sake of “Fairness and Justice,” suggesting that such a shift could help boost the ratings of the award shows.
Mark Bieger, president and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, confirmed the cancellation of the event via email to faculty, explaining that the decision would allow West Point to maintain its focus on its core mission. “This will enable us to continue preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win as officers in the world’s most lethal force, the United States Army,” Bieger said.
The ceremony, originally scheduled for September 25, was intended to honor Hanks for his contributions to social service, which align with the academy’s core values of “Duty, Honor, Country.” Hanks was to receive the award as an “outstanding citizen” who exemplifies these ideals.
The actor has yet to comment publicly on the cancellation, and it remains unclear whether he plans to address the decision. This incident follows a pattern of Trump using social media to target Hollywood figures, including his previous criticism of actor George Clooney, who has also publicly disagreed with the former president.
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