George Clooney, the Oscar-winning actor, did not mince his words when sharing his views on Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump’s clash with Hollywood isn’t over — as the gloves come off for him and Hegseth
Clooney, at 65, stands among the ranks of Hollywood luminaries who have spoken out against the 80-year-old president and his polarizing policies.
He launched into a scathing tirade and publicly shamed Trump and his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, when questioned about the state of politics.
The A-lister participated in a panel at the 2026 Venice Film Festival on Sept. 2. A reporter pressed the “Ocean’s Eleven” star about the current state of American politics.
After sharing his hopeful outlook for the future, Clooney stated that the nation is “in a moment of time that’s unfortunate.”
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He then pressed back to the political turmoil of the 1960s, mentioning the assassinations of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Democratic politician Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.
Turning his attention to contemporary America, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement recipient offered a harsh assessment of Trump’s government.
“There’s a great word: kakistocracy, which is a country run by the least qualified people,” Clooney remarked. “I think maybe we have a kakistocracy right now, but we’ll get through it.”
Clooney also weighed in on the Democrats possibly gaining control in the upcoming midterm elections, which could provide a counterbalance to Trump’s more autocratic tendencies.
Trump wasn’t the only Republican to come under fire from the “E/R” alum. Clooney also singled out Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
“The idea that cruelty is the base, that being cruel and unkind is part of the fun of all of this,” Clooney criticized Trump’s MAGA movement.
He continued, “You see the Secretary of Defense just tweeted out a picture about women from the military in Canada. And you’re going, ‘What’s wrong with you?’”
“Where’s the sense of decency in all of this? And I’m ashamed of all of that. But we will get through it. We will come out better on the other side,” the showbiz veteran asserted.
Hegseth, 46, has been a staunch ally of Trump since the Senate confirmed him to lead the Defense Department in January 2025.
The former “Fox & Friends Weekend” host backed his boss in the president’s ongoing feud with Canada by taunting the nation’s military.
Trump’s trade tensions with one of America’s closest allies created high-profile hostility between the leaders of the two nations.
Hegseth’s Sept. 1 post on X ridiculing two Canadian cadets sparked further backlash. Clooney’s public rebuke of the SecDef in Italy intensified the tension.
Clips of Clooney’s “kakistocracy” remark about the Trump administration circulated online, with Trump critics echoing the Casamigos Tequila founder’s sentiments.
“Wow!! Clooney said that?” exclaimed a Clooney supporter in response to Variety’s social media pages.
Two others described it as an “Accurate description!” while others wrote, “Clooney… bravo” and “Omg I love him…and i love that word…and he is right!!”
Another commenter added, “The problem is most of us knew this before Trump’s second term.”
Nevertheless, Clooney’s broadside at Trump’s administration was met with backlash. His celebrity status provided critics with ample ammunition.
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Danielle Brooks
I am a staff writer at New York Beacon, where I focus on culture, entrepreneurship, and the emerging voices redefining Black America. My work highlights innovators, artists, and founders whose stories often unfold beyond mainstream headlines but shape communities in meaningful ways. Through precise reporting and thoughtful storytelling, I aim to document progress, challenge narratives, and contribute to a stronger Black press tradition.