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Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight, one of President Donald Trump's most vocal supporters in Hollywood, will be awarded the National Medal of Arts during a White House ceremony Thursday. It is the first time Trump will host the National Medal of Arts ceremony, which was last held in 2016 by President Barack Obama. Singer Alison Krauss, Sharon Percy Rockefeller and the musicians of the United States Military will also be honored.
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The White House will give National Humanities Medals to author James Patterson, chef Patrick J. O'Connell, philanthropist Teresa Lozano Long and the Claremont Institute as well.
The White House said it was recognizing Voight for "his exceptional capacity as an actor to portray deeply complex characters. Captivating audiences, he has given us insights into the richness of the human mind and heart."
Voight, who currently appears in the Showtime series Ray Donovan, won the Academy Award for best actor in 1979 for the movie Coming Home and is best known for his work in the 1970's hit movie Midnight Cowboy, where he was nominated for an Oscar. He is the father of Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie.
In one example of his support for the president, Voight praised Trump on social media in August while deriding Democrats for operating in a "radical emotion of hate."
"Let us pray for peace," Voight said on Twitter. "Let us pray for this country that President Trump will take on four more years of his strength, devotion, knowledge of truths. And all that doubt and have extreme anger toward President Trump, may they be shown differently, that President Trump is the greatest president of this century."
