Donald Trump has come under fire from actor Edward Norton, who claimed the president’s administration has seen “unprecedented” levels of incompetence and corruption compared to previous heads of state.
Trump’s policies and recent actions continue to raise eyebrows, particularly regarding immigration, the Iran war, and the UFC event held recently at the White House.
The former businessman also recently got into a public spat with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after claiming she begged him for a photo.
Edward Norton Says Trump Is ‘Worse Than Nixon’
During a recent appearance on Ted Danson’s “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast, Edward Norton did not hold back in his criticism of Donald Trump and his Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth.
Speaking with Danson on the show, the four-time Academy Award nominee compared their leadership to that of Richard Nixon and Robert McNamara.
“I think [they are] worse than Nixon and McNamara by far, Trump and Hegseth,” Norton stated. “You can actually credit Nixon and McNamara with some dimension of competency. You know, terrible things were going on, and they were corrupt in some ways, and there were lies.”
“But we’re in a level of incompetency and grift and corruption that is unprecedented in the history of this country,” he added.
Trump Has Repeatedly Faced Corruption Claims
Nixon was the 37th U.S. president and remains the only American president to resign from office, stepping down in 1974 following the Watergate scandal.
McNamara, meanwhile, served as the eighth U.S. secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the Cold War.
More recently, Trump has faced allegations of corruption, particularly after reports suggested he held several hundred million dollars’ worth of stock investments in major American companies.
Fans Praise Edward Norton For Speaking Out
Norton’s criticism of Trump resonated with many fans, who took to social media to praise the actor for speaking out.
“Edward Norton has been saying this kind of stuff for years, and people sleep on how sharp he actually is politically, dead-ss one of the more coherent celebrity voices on this stuff,” one Reddit user wrote.
Someone else said, “Good on him, willing to call out this government. Too many actors and actresses are too scared of being blacklisted.” Another person wrote, “These kinds of comments carry more weight. A lot of celebs just say f-ck Trump and leave it at that. If you want people to take you seriously, you’ve got to add something meaningful.”
Donald Trump’s White House UFC Event Adds To Criticism
Trump has drawn criticism for several of his recent actions. The UFC “Freedom 250” event, held on the White House South Lawn to commemorate his 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th anniversary, rubbed many people the wrong way and even prompted lawsuits seeking to stop it.
He has also been widely blamed by critics for escalating tensions in the Middle East that contributed to the ongoing Iran war.
The billionaire politician further strained ties with Italy after claiming Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni begged him “over and over” to take a photo when they met at the recent G7 summit in France.
In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Meloni of failing to sufficiently support U.S. efforts to prevent Iran “from obtaining or developing a nuclear weapon.” He also claimed she caused “a great logistical inconvenience” by refusing to open Italy’s air facilities for American military operations.
“Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up.’ No thanks!” Trump concluded.
Giorgia Meloni Fires Back At Trump
Meloni responded in a social media post, calling Trump’s “constant, unprovoked attacks” “senseless.”
“As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you,” she wrote. “My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”
The premier added that her popularity depends on putting Italy’s national interests first, which she said she has consistently done.
Addressing her decision not to grant the U.S. access to Italian air facilities, Meloni said the matter is “governed by agreements” that her country has always respected and “that cannot be violated as long as I’m Prime Minister.”
The dispute also prompted Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, to cancel a planned visit to the United States, where he had been scheduled to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June,” Tajani wrote on X.