Tom Hanks was set to receive a prestigious West Point award — until Donald Trump’s executive order to rename the Department of Defense sparked controversy and led to the event’s cancellation.
Tom Hanks Award Cancelled Amid Political Clash
Hollywood legend Tom Hanks has been unexpectedly caught in the middle of a political storm after a controversial executive order signed by Donald Trump led to the cancellation of an award ceremony in his honor.
On September 5, 2025, Trump marked his 200th executive order by renaming the Department of Defense back to its pre-1949 title: the Department of War.
“We won World War I, we won World War II, and everything in between. Then we went woke and changed the name,” Trump said. “So we’re going back to the Department of War. It sends a message of victory.”
Historians have noted that the original name change was meant to reflect peacekeeping and prevention after WWII. However, the Trump administration argued the shift is about “maximum lethality,” as newly appointed War Secretary Pete Hegseth put it.
Tom Hanks’ Ceremony Axed
The ripple effects of this change quickly reached West Point, where Hanks was scheduled to receive the prestigious Sylvanus Thayer Award on September 25. The award honors non-alumni who embody the military academy’s motto: Duty, Honor, Country.
West Point Association of Graduates President and CEO Mark Bieger, a retired Army Colonel, confirmed the cancellation in an email to attendees:
“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.”
Hanks, who never served in the military but has long been an outspoken advocate for veterans, is best known for his iconic performance in Saving Private Ryan. The sudden cancellation marks a major snub for the 69-year-old actor.
Recent Controversy
The timing of the decision has fueled speculation, especially since Hanks recently faced criticism for portraying a Trump supporter as a “racist redneck” during a Saturday Night Live skit in February. Some believe this portrayal may have contributed to the strained relationship.
Meanwhile, Trump defended the move by suggesting the U.S. must adopt a tougher approach:
“We could have won every war, but we were too politically correct. We just fought forever without fighting to win.”
A Clash of Hollywood and Politics
While Trump insists the executive order was solely about restoring military strength, critics argue the fallout — including the scrapping of Hanks’ award — highlights how political decisions are bleeding into cultural and academic spaces.
As of now, neither Hanks nor his representatives have commented on the snub.
