The official West Point alumni association has cancelled a scheduled awards ceremony honoring actor Tom Hanks, according to a report from The Washington Post. Hanks — who has frequently trashed President Donald Trump and his supporters — was set to be honored for his veterans advocacy work.
Retired Army Colonel Mark Bieger, president and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, confirmed the news in an email sent to members. Hanks had been set to receive the Sylvanus Thayer Award for “outstanding” non-West Point graduates who exemplify “Duty, Honor, Country,” Fox News reported.
The ceremony was set to be held on September 25. “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 in the email.
Bieger did not specify whether the ceremony had just been canceled or if Hanks would still be receiving the prestigious award. The group previously announced that Hanks would be bestowed with the honor back in June.
“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,” Honorable Robert A. McDonald, Class of 1975, WPAOG Board Chairman, said in a statement at the time.
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Hanks called the honor “simply astounding, adding, “West Point’s legacy of leadership, character, and service to the nation is a powerful example for all Americans. To be recognized by an institution whose graduates have shaped our country’s history through selfless service is both humbling and meaningful.”
The announcement also listed a number of Hanks’ veteran-driven initiatives, including serving as a spokesperson, along with the late Senator Bob Dole, for the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., his serving as national chairperson of the D-Day Museum Capital Campaign, and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation naming its veterans caregiving award the Tom Hanks Caregiver Champion Award.
It is unclear whether Hanks’ politics played a role in the cancellation.
The award-winning actor has long supported Democratic Party candidates and has expressed disdain for President Trump and his supporters on multiple occasions. The most notable example would be his recurring character, “Doug,” on Saturday Night Live, which is used to portray Trump supporters as dim-witted and out of touch.
