The West Point Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy have cancelled a ceremony where they were going to award the Sylvanus Thayer Award for 2025 to actor Tom Hanks. The ceremony is cancelled, but there is no word whether the award is cancelled also, or just the ceremony. The Sylvanus Thayer award is presented to a “distinguished” “American” citizen who embodies the West Point’s concepts of “Duty, Honor and Country”. The Thayer Award has been presented since 1958.
Sylvanus Thayer was a West Point graduate, the fifth Superintendent, he made West Point the first engineering school in the United States and raised West Point to its current standard. If you have travelled to West Point, you have likely entered through the Thayer Gate or stayed at the Thayer Hotel.
It shouldn’t be a shock to anyone that Tom Hanks would be up for the Thayer Award. One of his best good friends, former President Barack Obama was given the Thayer Award last year. In 2014, Mr. Obama awarded Mr. Hanks the Medal of Freedom at the White House. When the West Point Association of Graduates presented the Thayer Award to President Obama, this is part of the designation on the website:
When Obama left office on January 20, 2017, he left as the first American president to oversee two full terms as a commander-in-chief with combat troops deployed to hostile zones during a time of war. In his speech to the Corps, he emphasized the United States’ role as a world leader and encouraged the future Army officers that when a global event such as a conflict, pandemic, or natural disaster occurs, to not abandon the nation’s leadership role and give in to isolationism.
Addressing a room filled with cadets and veterans—including decorated West Point alumni, wounded warriors, and Gold Star families—Obama emphasized that while ensuring the nation’s safety is vital, war is inherently tragic, “leaving scars, seen and unseen, not only on the vanquished but also on the victors.”
“We have a responsibility to always give our troops a clear mission, the support they need to get the job done, and a plan for what comes after,” Obama said. “When the U.S. military gets involved in a conflict, we must do so with an honest assessment of the risks and tradeoffs. And when things don’t go according to plan, we need to admit our mistakes and reevaluate our strategies rather than just doubling down. That’s how we prevent the kind of mission creep that history teaches us to avoid. That’s how we keep our nation secure – and justify the trust that our troops deserve.”
The words above lead me to believe that however the voting works, Obama may not have been the popular choice. In 2023, Mrs. Elizabeth Dole was given the award. In 2015, actor Gary Sinise was chosen for the Thayer Award. Again, from the website, these words about Sinise may be found:
Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Gary Sinise has played many roles throughout his 30-plus year career: police detective, soldier, astronaut, and even president of the United States; however, as Lieutenant General Robert L. Caslen Jr. ’75, USMA Superintendent, told the Corps of Cadets gathered in the Mess Hall for the 2015 Thayer Award Dinner, “Sinise’s most notable role is the one he plays in real life: supporter and friend of those who serve and defend our nation.” For his decades-long dedication to our nation’s active duty military personnel and returning veterans, the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) presented the 58th Sylvanus Thayer Award to Gary Sinise on October 22, 2015. Since 1958, WPAOG has given the Thayer Award annually to a U.S. citizen whose outstanding character, accomplishments, and stature in the civilian community draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: Duty, Honor, Country.
That seems more like a full-throated endorsement and that brings us to Tom Hanks. From Forbes Magazine:
The West Point Association of Graduates announced in June that Hanks would receive the Sylvanus Thayer Award to recognize him as an “outstanding citizen” who represents the academy’s ideals of “duty, honor, country.” Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald, who chairs the alumni association, credited Hanks in a statement as having 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, who portrayed service members in films “Saving Private Ryan,” “Forrest Gump” and “Greyhound,” was also lauded for producing World War II miniseries “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.” The actor also spearheaded an effort to create the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and supported initiatives for a President Dwight D. Eisenhower national memorial, among others, the alumni association stated.
The ceremony has now been cancelled:
Why Did West Point Cancel Tom Hanks’s Ceremony?
It’s not immediately clear, despite Bieger noting West Point would “focus on its core mission.” President Donald Trump has issued some changes at the academy, including rolling back programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the armed forces, saying those at U.S. service academies would face scrutiny. Jen Easterly, who served as cybersecurity chief during the Biden administration, was dismissed in June following complaints from Trump loyalist Laura Loomer, who claimed Easterly and other Biden leftovers were “undermining the Trump administration.” Hanks fundraised for President Joe Biden’s campaign in 2020 and appeared in a video for the Biden administration a year into Biden’s presidency.
Social Media seems split over whether this is due to the machinations of President Donald Trump or Secretary of War Pete Hegseth:
@WestPoint_USMA graduate here. I do not care about Tom Hanks and the Thayer Award. It's not the first time there's been Thayer Award controversy. Won't be the last. It's subjective. Get over it. Move on. We've got more important issues to solve. #WestPoint #ThayerAward #TomHanks
— GM Liberty (@GMLiberty1776) September 7, 2025
West Point alumni group cancels official award ceremony for Tom Hanks : NPR https://t.co/gWyUia8day
Hanks is still getting the award…but because of the Tangerine Tinted Twatwaffles dislike for Hanks political views the ceremony was canceled. I'd tell all of them to FUCK OFF— Richard P. Arter (@arter_richard) September 7, 2025
Hopefully, just the ceremony is cancelled. They can still USPS the award to Hanks. I really do not care who Hanks supported or voted for. The SNL skit from eight years ago of “Black Jeopardy” told me everything I need to know about Tom Hanks:
Why do they always have to go for sneering condescension. Why can’t they laugh with us instead of mocking us? Never mind. Just snail mail the award to Hanks.
“When Obama left office on January 20, 2017, he left as the first American president to oversee two full terms as a commander-in-chief with combat troops deployed to hostile zones during a time of war.”
That is NOT an ACCOMPLISHMENT. One might argue that it was a NECESSITY (but one would be wrong!)
Que says: Ah, so the truth emerges. It turns out that the Hanks ceremony was probably cancelled at the whim of President Petulant. From The Hill on Monday morning:
“President Trump on Monday celebrated the decision by a West Point alumni group to cancel an event to honor the actor Tom Hanks for his support of the military and veterans.
“Our great West Point (getting greater all the time!) has smartly cancelled the Award Ceremony for actor Tom Hanks. Important move!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “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.”
Shorter take: West Point can’t honor Hanks because he didn’t kiss Trump’s tuchus.
I’m not a Democrat and I don’t agree with Hanks’s politics. But I appreciate the man for what he has done in raising awareness among younger generations — who seem to be largely ignorant of history — of what our fathers and grandfathers did 80+ years ago. No one else in Hollywood was taking on such projects as “Band of Brothers” or “The Pacific,” or “Saving Private Ryan.” WWII as entertainment was so 1960s by that point.
Tom Hanks also worked with Bob Dole (Republican, remember?) to honor our WWII vets with the magnificent World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. Finally, men like my late father were able to see a monument dedicated to their service and sacrifice.
But no. Our thin-skinned Dear Leader couldn’t tolerate honoring someone who wasn’t MAGA.
Oh, I know. “You’re just suffering from TDS!” Pfft! Whatever.
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