George Clooney Doubles Down on Biden Takedown: Calls Scathing Op-Ed a ‘Civic Duty’ While Dodging Backlash

Hollywood liberal George Clooney is back in the headlines — not for a box office hit, but for defending his blistering attack on President Joe Biden that helped spark a political firestorm ahead of the 2024 election.

In a Tuesday CNN interview with Jake Tapper, the 63-year-old actor stood firm on the op-ed he penned last July that called for Biden to drop out of the race — an article that rocked the Democratic establishment and, less than two weeks later, preceded Biden’s decision to withdraw his candidacy.

“I don’t know if it was brave,” Clooney told Tapper. “It was a civic duty.”
The actor, who hails from Kentucky, insisted that even Democrats need to be held accountable. “When I saw people on my side of the street not telling the truth, I thought, that’s it.”

That “truth,” according to Clooney, was that Biden — then 82 — was no longer fit for the job.

Clooney’s now-infamous op-ed, titled I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee, questioned the President’s physical stamina and cognitive clarity, stating bluntly, “The one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.”

The reaction was immediate — and deeply divided. Liberals praised Clooney’s “courage.” Others branded him a turncoat.

When Tapper asked if people were still angry about it, Clooney admitted, “Some people, sure. But that’s OK. You can’t ask for freedom of speech and then be upset when someone uses it.”

Clooney claimed he’s used to the blowback. “They picketed my movies when I opposed the war 20 years ago,” he said. “I was put on a deck of cards. I take that. That’s fair.”

But critics on the right say the real “deck of cards” is the Democrat Party itself — and Clooney just helped shuffle it.

“He’s not a hero,” said one conservative strategist. “He’s a high-paid celebrity who thinks his Hollywood clout entitles him to influence elections. And unfortunately, he got his wish — now we’re left with Kamala Harris.”

Indeed, after Biden dropped out in late July 2024, Clooney quickly endorsed then-Vice President Harris, helping her secure the nomination. The move raised eyebrows among political insiders who suspected coordinated backroom dealing among elite Democrat donors and celebrity influencers.

Even Donald Trump weighed in last year, slamming Clooney as a “second-rate movie star turned failed political pundit.”

Clooney, however, is unfazed. “I defend their right to criticize me as much as I defend my right to criticize them,” he said. “That’s the deal.”

But many Americans aren’t buying the moral high ground routine. “Clooney might call it a civic duty,” one voter posted on X. “I call it elite interference.”

The actor’s CNN appearance ended with more self-congratulation, with Clooney saying Biden’s decision to step down was “the most selfless thing a president has done since George Washington.”

That comparison sparked fresh outrage from conservatives. “Did Clooney really just compare Biden to George Washington?” said one retired veteran in Ohio. “What’s he smoking out there in California?”

While Clooney might see himself as a truth-teller, others see a wealthy liberal meddling in national politics — once again proving that Hollywood is far more interested in shaping power than understanding the people who live with the consequences.