Trump Has Some Words for George Clooney

The Wall Street Journal calls it an op-ed that "ricocheted across show business and political circles"—and it's one that's still being buzzed about. "We are not going to win in November with this president," wrote actor George Clooney—a big fundraiser for the president—in the New York Times on Wednesday. The latest on the reaction:

• From Trump: The Hill reports Donald Trump had some harsh words for Clooney in a late Wednesday post on Truth Social. It reads in part, "So now fake movie actor George Clooney, who never came close to making a great movie, is getting into the act. He's turned on Crooked Joe like the rats they both are. What does Clooney know about anything? He uses the Democrat 'talking point' that Biden, the WORST President in the history of the United States, has 'saved our Democracy.' ... Crooked Joe Biden didn't save our Democracy, he brought our Democracy to its knees. Clooney should get out of politics and go back to television. Movies never really worked for him!!!"

• From Obama (possibly): Sources tell Politico that Clooney gave former President Obama a heads-up that he was writing an op-ed, and that although Obama didn't "encourage or advise" Clooney, he also didn't push for him to abandon the effort. "The lack of pushback is an eye-popping revelation given that the former president was one of the first big voices defending Biden following his abysmal debate performance," notes Politico.
• Obama-related: The Journal details the Clooney-Obama-Biden connection: During the fundraiser Clooney hosted—the one referenced in his op-ed—Obama and Biden engaged in a conversation with Jimmy Kimmel. It details how things went on stage: "For the most part, the conversation flows, but to some in the room Biden ... seemed to have a hard time keeping up with Kimmel's quick patter. Obama seemed to pick up loose threads in Biden's responses, and filled in gaps."

(More President Biden stories.)