West Point‘s alumni association has canceled a planned ceremony later this month to honor Tom Hanks with one of its top awards, as the military service academy has come under increased scrutiny from the Trump administration.
The Washington Post reported on an email that went out on Friday from Retired Army Col. Mark Bieger, the president and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, to faculty members. Bieger wrote that the alumni association would not be holding a planned Sept. 25 ceremony for Hanks, who was to receive the Thayer Award, given to citizens who did not attend West Point but whose “service and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion to the ideals expressed in West Point’s motto: ‘Duty, Honor, Country.’”
Per the Post, Bieger wrote, “This decision allows 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.”
It’s not clear whether Hanks will still receive the award, or it that also has been canceled.
Bieger and a spokesperson for the alumni association did not immediately return Deadline’s requests for comment. Hanks’ publicist also did not respond.
Shortly after the Post’s story was published on Saturday, the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., wrote on X, “Great to see [Secretary of War Pete Hegseth] holding the line for @realdonaldtrump to make the military strong again. West Point should be focused on training the next generation of war fighters, not celebrating woke leftwing celebrities with awards!!!”
When the award was announced in June, Hanks was recognized for his advocacy on behalf of veterans, serving, along with Bob Dole, as spokesperson for the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. and national chairperson for the D-Day Museum Capital Campaign. He served as chair of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes campaign, and as recipient of the foundation’s Caregiver Champion Award.
Also cited were Hanks’ extensive credits that have brought the military experience to the screen, including his starring role in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, as well as miniseries he spearheaded as executive producer, including Band of Brothers, The Pacific and Masters of the Air.
In announcing the award, the chairman of the alumni board, Robert A. McDonald, said, “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 program and all branches of government than many other Americans.”
Hanks has backed Barack Obama and Joe Biden in their presidential campaigns, and he hosted Biden’s inaugural special, Celebrating America, when he took office in 2021. But compared to other celebrities who have gotten involved in politics, he’s publicly stayed out of much of the policy fray. His Instagram feed includes recent posts promoting Hanks Coffee, with profits going to veterans support organizations, and another post promoting voter registration.
Shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order directing the secretary of defense and the secretary of homeland security to “carefully review the leadership, curriculum, and instructors of the United States Service Academies and other defense academic institutions associated with their respective Departments to ensure alignment with this order.” This included ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs, or anything related to it.
“In addition, these institutions shall be required to teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history,” the executive order said.
On Friday, Hegseth appeared with Trump in the Oval Office to announce that the Department of Defense would be renamed the Department of War, although such a move needs an act of Congress to make it official. Hegseth said that the change was “restoring the warrior ethos, restoring victory and clarity as an end state.”
West Point also reinstalled a portrait of a Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, to its library, after it was removed in 2020 commission mandated by Congress ordered it removed, The New York Times reported last week.
Since taking office, Trump has sought to eliminate opponents or perceived opponents in the executive branch. He fired Joe Biden’s appointees to serving on the board of the Kennedy Center, a move that ensured that Trump himself would be named the arts institution’s chairman. Trump went on to play a major role in selecting this year’s recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, and he himself will host the event and telecast. Trump also attempted to fire Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, and ousted the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, who had been selected to the post by Barack Obama.
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