George Clooney Pokes Fun At Jan 6 Rioters As He Urges Donald Trump To 'Do Well' For The U.S.

George Clooney recently made candid remarks about the 2024 presidential elections, referencing the January 6 insurrection and expressing disappointment over the results.

He emphasized the ups and downs of democracy, likening it to his son's chess losses. The actor previously stirred controversy with a New York Times op-ed urging Biden to step aside, citing age concerns.

George Clooney's critique reportedly contributed to mounting pressure that led then-President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race.

During his Tuesday appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," actor and filmmaker Clooney made unexpected remarks about President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party.

The 63-year-old Hollywood veteran was there to discuss his Broadway adaptation of "Good Night, and Good Luck," a play inspired by the film he directed, co-wrote, and starred in nearly two decades ago. However, the conversation eventually veered toward politics.

Clooney, who publicly backed Kamala Harris in the last election, reflected on his political upbringing.

"I was raised a Democrat in Kentucky," he said with a smirk, per the Daily Mail. "It's been nothing but fun."

Recalling his first time at the polls, Clooney shared that he voted for Jimmy Carter in 1980, an election later won by Ronald Reagan.

The actor added, "I lost with some Bushes, and I won with some Clintons and Obamas. You know, this is democracy."

Although neither Clooney nor Colbert mentioned Trump by name, the Oscar-winning actor candidly addressed the Democrats' loss in the election.

"Well, I don't know, what am I supposed to do? Storm the f-cking Capitol?" he quipped, referencing the January 6, 2021, insurrection, a remark that drew loud applause from the audience.

He then delivered an unexpected message seemingly aimed at President Trump without directly naming him.

Clooney said, "Good for you. I hope you do well because our country needs it, and in 3.5 years, we'll see where we go next."

Despite his evident disappointment with the 2024 election results, Clooney maintained that losing is simply part of the democratic process.

"It's part of democracy. There are people who agree and disagree, and most of us still like each other, we're all gonna get through it," he said.

In an attempt to connect politics to everyday life, Clooney shared a story about his seven-year-old son, Alexander.

"I have a son who plays in chess tournaments and loves chess. He's seven years old, and he's playing against a lot of older kids, and he is not winning all the time, as you can imagine," he shared, per the Daily Mail.

Clooney recalled how he taught his son to handle defeat with grace, explaining: "He gets upset, and I say, 'Listen, shake the guy's hand, you say good game, I'll get you next time.' And that's kind of how... you've got to live by those rules."

Clooney's remarks follow the controversy he sparked with an op-ed urging Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee, arguing that a different candidate would have a better shot at keeping the White House.

Just a month before the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the "Ticket Paradise" actor published a piece in The New York Times titled "I Love Joe Biden, But We Need a New Nominee."

The article came weeks after Biden's shaky debate performance in June and marked a dramatic shift from Clooney, who had raised $30 million for Biden's re-election campaign at a fund-raiser in June 2023.

"I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he's won many of the battles he's faced," Clooney wrote.

After praising the then-president, the actor didn't hold back from delivering a harsh reality check.

He said, "But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010. He wasn't even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate."

Clooney bluntly warned that Biden's nomination would cost Democrats not only the presidency but also control of Congress.

"We are not going to win in November with this president. On top of that, we won't win the House, and we're going to lose the Senate," he said.

The actor claimed this wasn't just his view but a sentiment shared privately by every senator, governor, and House member he had spoken to, regardless of their public stance.

For Clooney, a change at the top of the ticket was the only way to "enliven our party" and "wake up voters" who had already disengaged before the debate. His call for a new nominee ultimately contributed to the mounting pressure that led Biden to withdraw from the race.