KCRW Exclusive: George Clooney says Trump’s ‘name will now forever be associated with insurrection’

By Michael Fanelli

Actor-director George Clooney, left, and actress Tiffany Boone on the set of "The Midnight Sky," courtesy of Netflix. Photo by Philippe Antonello.

George Clooney exclusively told KCRW that President Donald Trump and his family will be put “into the dustbin of history” after a Trump-supporting mob besieged the Capitol building on Wednesday.   

Host Kim Masters spoke Thursday afternoon with Clooney about his new Netflix movie “The Midnight Sky” and the industry at large. 

With the interview coming off the heels of this week’s historic insurrection, Masters acknowledged the tense national moment, and Clooney had some strong words to share. 

Clooney spoke to the continually-moving goal posts of what has become permissible under the Trump presidency, and what the insurrection means for his legacy.

George Clooney: “It's devastating to watch the ‘People's House’ being desecrated in that way. But it is also a tremendous overreach in a way that everybody kept waiting for what's ... the straw that breaks the camel's back? And it just seemed like that line just kept getting moved and moved and moved, and outrage just didn't even matter anymore. 

Even to the point of calling the Secretary of State in Georgia and pressuring him, none of that seemed to matter. 

This mattered. This puts Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, all of them into the dustbin of history. That name will now forever be associated with insurrection. And to hear Elaine Chao and Mick Mulvaney and General Kelly — [who] came out today and said if he was in the cabinet, he would have voted for the 25th Amendment — I mean, this is a big, big difference. 

And if this is what it takes to sort of set us on the right path ... at least we should find something hopeful to come out of some of this disaster.”

Kim Masters’ full conversation with George Clooney and his producing partner Grant Heslov will air on The Business on January 15.

Credits

Host:

Kim Masters

Producer:

Kaitlin Parker