President Donald Trump had a full-on social media meltdown Monday, praising the alumni association at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for “smartly” canceling an awards ceremony for actor, veterans advocate, and national treasure Tom Hanks.
“Important move!” Trump raged on Truth Social. “We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!!”
“The war on woke” by Clay Bennett
The ceremony, set for Sept. 25, would have honored Hanks with the Sylvanus Thayer Award, recognizing a non-West Point alum who embodies the academy’s ideals of “duty, honor, and country.” Hanks’ advocacy for veterans and his iconic portrayals of service members made him a natural pick.
But Friday brought a last-minute cancellation for reasons that remain unclear. Retired Army Col. Mark Bieger, president and CEO of the alumni group, emailed faculty that the ceremony was off.
“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,” Bieger wrote, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the news that the ceremony got nixed.
Trump, as usual, mixed up the academy and the alumni group, praising “our great West Point (getting greater all the time!)” as if the institution itself had made the call.
The episode is just the latest example of Trump’s long-standing feud with celebrities who surpass him in fame. Recall Taylor Swift, whom he called “no longer hot” (on two separate occasions) after she endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024, only to change his tune after she got engaged last month to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“I wish them a lot of luck. I think he’s a great player. I think he’s a great guy, and I think that she’s a terrific person,” Trump said.
Trump’s target list extends beyond Swift. In May, he called for a “major investigation” into celebrity endorsements, claiming that Harris’ campaign must have illegally paid stars like Beyoncé, Bono, Oprah Winfrey, and Bruce Springsteen because they supported her over him. And last month, he suggested that he might personally look into NBC late-night host Seth Meyers after the network extended Meyers’ contract through 2028. Meyers, like other late-night hosts Trump despises, frequently criticizes the president.
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In this context, his attack on Hanks fits a familiar pattern. Hanks has been a vocal supporter of former President Joe Biden, narrated a video marking the first anniversary of his presidency, and recently portrayed a racist Trump supporter on “Saturday Night Live.” Trump’s obsession with celebrities who challenge him politically, like Hanks, Springsteen, and Swift, is consistent and relentless.
Meanwhile, Hanks’ record stands on its own. He’s a champion of U.S. service members and veterans, portraying them in films like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Forrest Gump,” and supporting memorials and museums nationwide. He has long supported Democrats, including Biden, who defeated Trump in 2020.
Trump’s fixation with so-called cultural liberalism extends beyond Hollywood. Since returning to the White House, Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have been on a mission to root it out from the military, including phasing out “woke” diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
On Monday, during a speech in Washington, Trump framed the West Point alumni group’s decision as part of that same effort, comparing it to pulling a stubborn “weed.” He also praised the cancellation as “appropriate” and urged other awards shows to follow suit.
“Hopefully the Academy Awards, and other Fake Award Shows, will review their Standards and Practices in the name of Fairness and Justice,” he said. “Watch their DEAD RATINGS SURGE!”
But Hanks doesn’t need Trump’s approval. Two Oscars, seven Emmys, and eight Golden Globes demonstrate a career that speaks for itself—and he’s earned respect as a lifelong advocate for veterans and public service.
