Donald Trump praised West Point on Truth Social after news broke that the West Point Association of Graduates canceled an award ceremony intended to honor Tom Hanks. Trump proceeded to slam the two-time Oscar winner by claiming he would be a “destructive, woke recipient” of the prize.
“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!!! 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!”
Mark Bieger, the president and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, announced the cancelation of Hanks’ award ceremony in an email to faculty. He defended the decision by saying it would enable West Point to “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.”
The West Point awards ceremony was supposed to take place Sept. 25. Hanks was to be honored as an “outstanding citizen” outside of the West Point organization with a history of social service that exemplifies “Duty, Honor, Country,” the academy’s three core ideals.
Trump is known for using social media to take aim at Hollywood actors. He infamously slammed George Clooney as a “fake movie actor” after Clooney urged Joe Biden to step down as the Democratic nominee for president.
“I don’t care,” Clooney eventually responded during a “CBS Mornings” interview. “I’ve known Donald Trump for a long time. My job is not to please the President of the United States. My job is to try and tell the truth when I can and when I have the opportunity. I am well aware of the idea that people will not like that… People will criticize that. Elon Musk has weighed in [about me]. That is their right. It’s my right to say the other side.”
Hanks has yet to comment publicly on West Point canceling his award ceremony.
