George Clooney is reflecting on how fame and power have seemingly transformed President Donald Trump.
In a recent interview with Variety, the actor said he once had a friendly relationship with Donald Trump, but believes power fundamentally changed him. “I knew him very well,” Clooney said. “He’s a big goofball. Well, he was. That all changed.”
Clooney, who recently became a French citizen, also criticized major media companies for backing down when challenged legally. “If CBS and ABC had challenged those lawsuits and said, ‘Go f— yourself,’ we wouldn’t be where we are in the country,” he said. “That’s simply the truth.”
The Oscar winner expressed deep concern about the future of journalism, calling out leadership changes at CBS News following its corporate restructuring. “Bari Weiss is dismantling CBS News as we speak,” Clooney said. “I’m worried about how we inform ourselves and how we’re going to discern reality without a functioning press.”
He warned that media organizations are increasingly choosing self-preservation over principle. Quoting legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow, whom he portrayed onscreen, Clooney said, “‘Let’s not confuse dissent with disloyalty.’ That’s who we are at our best. Too often, we fall short.”
