US President Donald Trump cheered Monday after a West Point navy academy ceremony honoring “Saving Private Ryan” star and outspoken critic Tom Hanks was canceled.
The a number of Oscar-winning actor — who was additionally an govt producer for a number of acclaimed miniseries about World War II — was meant to be hosted by the academy’s alumni affiliation later this month.
However news emerged over the weekend that this had been abruptly scrapped.
Trump, who has overseen a purge of perceived opponents throughout civil society and the federal government — together with contained in the US navy — mentioned he was happy.
“Our great West Point (getting greater all the time!) has smartly cancelled the Award Ceremony for actor Tom Hanks. Important move!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!!” the president wrote, in an obvious reference to Hanks’ Democratic political leanings.
Hanks was resulting from obtain the distinguished Sylvanus Thayer Award from the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) on September 25.
According to The Washington Post, an electronic mail from the alumni affiliation saying the change didn’t specify whether or not Hanks would nonetheless obtain the award with out the ceremony.
The Thayer award is given to “an outstanding citizen of the United States whose service and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion to the ideals expressed in West Point’s motto: ‘Duty, Honor, Country,'” the WPAOG mentioned when saying Hanks because the 2025 recipient.
“Much of Hanks’ five-decade career reflects his support of veterans, the military, and America’s space program,” it mentioned in an announcement.
Hanks starred as an Army captain who landed at D-Day in “Saving Private Ryan,” and portrayed a destroyer commander crossing the Atlantic as U-boats hunted for American ships in “Greyhound.”
He additionally govt produced three miniseries about World War II: “Band of Brothers” about paratroopers in Europe, “The Pacific” about Marines combating towards Japanese forces, and “Masters of the Air” concerning the crews of US bombers.
Hanks — who additionally served as a nationwide spokesperson for the World War II memorial marketing campaign and was chair of the D-Day museum capital marketing campaign — had expressed pleasure about visiting West Point.
“To have my first ever visit to the Academy be to accept such an honor as the Thayer Award is simply astounding,” the WPAOG assertion quoted him as saying.
The alumni affiliation didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark concerning the cancelation of the ceremony, which comes after Trump’s administration took goal at each library books and personnel at West Point earlier within the 12 months.
In May, the Pentagon ordered a hunt for and sequestration of supplies in US navy academy and struggle faculty libraries that comprise data on topics together with range, anti-racism and transgender individuals.
Two months later, the secretary of the military directed West Point to rescind a suggestion for a former cybersecurity company chief to carry a prestigious place on the navy academy after she drew the ire of a far-right conspiracy theorist.
© 2025 AFP