US donald trump Tom Hanks

Donald Trump has been crowing about the cancellation of an award to Tom Hanks – 17 counterpoints to the presidential pettiness

Oonagh Keating. Updated September 9th, 2025

The Sylvanus Thayer Award, made by the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAG), is a means of honouring American citizens who best represent West Point’s motto, “Duty, honor, country”, with past recipients including Ronald Reagan, Neil Armstrong and Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump co-star, Gary Sinese.

Having announced in June that Tom Hanks would receive this year’s award, the association has now cancelled the ceremony, in order to ‘focus on its core mission of preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win’, amid much speculation that the move has been an attempt to stay in the Trump Administration’s good books.

That speculation has been made stronger by this post from Trump himself.

Our great West Point (getting greater all the time!) has smartly cancelled the Award Ceremony for actor Tom Hanks. Important move! 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. Watch their DEAD RATINGS SURGE!

Whether he or his supporters put pressure on the WPAG because of Tom Hanks’ very public criticism of him, or the group simply saw which way the wind is blowing for people who oppose the regime, the internet wasn’t impressed.

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