Actor George Clooney had a great response to former President Donald Trump's demand that he "get out of politics and go back to television"—advising Trump that he'll do so on the condition that Trump does so as well.
Trump issued his demand in July after the actor wrote a New York Times op-ed urging President Joe Biden to step aside in the 2024 race, warning it could jeopardize Democratic control of Congress. Biden eventually bowed out and backed Vice President Kamala Harris, which disrupted Trump's campaign strategy.
Clooney was a guest on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night, where host Jimmy Kimmel brought up his recent op-ed and the possibility of a second Trump administration. Kimmel read some of Trump’s social media remarks aimed at the actor, in which Trump called Clooney a “fake movie actor” for urging Biden to step aside and told him to “get out of politics and go back to television.”
Clooney was met with considerable applause when he responded:
“You know, I will if he does. That's the trade-off I'd do."
To that, Kimmel quipped:
"Have you thought about writing an op-ed asking him [Trump] to step down because it worked once, why not try it again?"
You can watch their exchange in the video below.
Many loved Clooney's answer and mocked Trump in response.
In his op-ed, Clooney—a prominent Democratic fundraiser who is married to renowned international human rights attorney Amal Clooney—urged Biden to drop out of the race for the good of the country after Biden's widely panned debate performance against Trump in July.
At the time, Clooney stressed that his recommendation was not one made in bad faith, saying that he "believes" in Biden's "character" and "morals."
The actor opened up to Kimmel about his piece, acknowledging the risks involved in stepping into the political arena:
“You have to understand that by doing this, you’re not just going after Trump, you’re potentially influencing the future of the nation.”
It's clear Clooney's gamble paid off given the way Harris has energized Democrats since Biden endorsed her to be his successor.
Harris currently holds a narrow lead against Trump in two key battleground states and is virtually tied in a third, according to polls released Wednesday following last week’s debate.
New Quinnipiac University polls show Harris leading Trump by 5 points in Michigan and Pennsylvania, with 51% to his 46%. In Wisconsin, Harris is ahead by just 1 point, within the poll's 3-point margin of error.
An AARP poll released the same day confirmed the race in Wisconsin is "neck and neck," with Harris leading Trump 49% to 48%. Voters aged 50 and older favor Trump by 3 points, though Harris leads among seniors 65 and older by 6 points.
These polls are among the first major data since their debate in Philadelphia, watched by over 67 million people. A post-debate CNN/SSRS survey showed the majority declaring Harris the winner.
