https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/08/trump-tom-hanks-woke
"Donald Trump launched a vitriolic attack against Tom Hanks for supposedly
being “destructive” and “woke” after one of America’s most beloved actors was
snubbed without much explanation by West Point last week.
On his social media site on Monday, the US president applauded the alumni
association of the US Military Academy (or West Point) for abruptly calling off
a ceremony honoring Hanks, twice an Academy award winner who has played
numerous military characters and also has a long history of advocating for
veterans.
Trump wrote: “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!”
Hanks had been scheduled to receive the 2025 Sylvanus Thayer Award later this
month for his “service and accomplishments in the national interest”.
In a message to faculty, retired Col Mark Bieger declared the cancellation
would allow the institution 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”, without elaborating how the two are connected.
Hanks has previously endorsed Democratic candidates including Barack Obama and
Hillary Clinton.
He has been deeply involved in veterans’ causes. He was the national
spokesperson for the World War II Memorial in Washington DC. He also supported
Bob Dole’s fundraising campaign for the Dwight D Eisenhower Memorial, according
to the alumni association’s own original statement.
He has already been inducted as an honorary member into the US Army’s Ranger
Hall of Fame. In 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Among his military portrayals are Capt John Miller in
Saving Private Ryan,
the Vietnam war soldier Forrest Gump (for which he won the Oscar for best
actor), and Cmdr Ernie Krause in
Greyhound, for which he also wrote the
screenplay. He also portrayed the title role in 2013’s
Captain Phillips and
appeared in the cold war film
Bridge of Spies.
His work has made him one of the US’s most decorated actors, with seven Emmy
awards to go alongside the five Academy award nominations for best actor, which
he won twice in a row."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
