Actor George Clooney is pushing back against accusations that his political activism contributed to Vice President Kamala Harris’ defeat in the 2024 election. Clooney says he’s being unfairly targeted as Democrats search for answers following their loss to President Donald Trump.
The controversy stems from an op-ed Clooney wrote in The New York Times last year, encouraging Democrats to consider an alternative to President Joe Biden. Although Clooney didn’t explicitly promote Kamala Harris, the party ultimately replaced Biden with Harris, a decision many now question.
According to sources quoted by the Daily Mail, Clooney feels the criticism is unwarranted. “He has backed the Democratic Party and invested so much time and money into them, but he is going to take a step back for now,” one source said, adding that Clooney is disheartened by the backlash.
Clooney’s op-ed followed a $30 million fundraiser he hosted for Biden’s re-election campaign. Reports indicate that former President Barack Obama was aware of Clooney’s plans to write the piece but neither endorsed nor opposed it.
Some Democratic insiders blame the switch to Harris for the party’s loss, while others believe Clooney’s critique of Biden weakened the party’s position. Clooney himself argues that Democrats failed to fully consider their options before removing Biden from the ticket.
The actor now plans to reduce his political involvement, citing frustration with the party’s handling of the election. Clooney’s defenders argue that his efforts were intended to strengthen the Democratic Party, not to harm its chances against Trump.
