Clooney’s Remarks at Chaplin Awards Take Aim at Trump

This week, actor George Clooney addressed the audience at the 51st Chaplin Awards ceremony held at Lincoln Center, making pointed comments about Donald Trump and his administration. He emphasized that the nation faces a “struggle for the very soul of this republic.”

Clooney stated, “You can’t be here on a night like tonight and ignore everything that’s going on in the world.” He expressed strong disagreement with the current administration, yet he made it clear that acts of violence—like those witnessed recently in Washington, D.C.—are unacceptable. He also referenced the tragic deaths of protesters in Minnesota at the hands of federal agents, citing them as further examples of this troubling trend.

“It seems to me that there’s a fight that must be won against hate, corruption, and violence,” he continued. Calling back to significant moments in American history, he remarked, “This fight is for the very soul of our republic. To incite hatred is to claim victory.” His question to the audience was simple: what actions can citizens take in this great country? In his view, everyone—regardless of political affiliation—can contribute to creating a better, more unified nation.

These remarks were met with applause from the crowd.

Attacking Trump seemed to be a recurring point for Clooney that evening. As he posed for photographs from the stage, he followed Trump on the red carpet, coming to the defense of Jimmy Kimmel, who had made a controversial joke about the president’s death on his late-night show.

Clooney remarked, “Jimmy is a comedian. Of course, I’m not saying anyone should be fired for a joke.” He referenced Kimmel’s character joking about Melania Trump, while also noting the dangerous rhetoric surrounding such humor. “I mean, a joke is a joke, but I think that rhetoric can be a little bit dangerous. I’ve noticed an uptick in that kind of talk lately,” he added.