George Clooney Criticizes U.S. Leadership at Venice Film Festival

Actor and director George Clooney criticized the current state of United States leadership during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival. Clooney used the term kakistocracy, which refers to a government run by the least qualified people, to describe the current situation. He expressed a sense of shame regarding the government and questioned the current state of decency. Specifically, he cited a social media post by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding female members of the Canadian armed forces as an example of absurdity. Clooney suggested that the midterm elections in November could serve as a moment for reckoning and a path back to normality. He also reflected on the current state of journalism, noting that it is concerning that the world's wealthiest individuals own major information sources like Twitter and the Washington Post. To provide historical context, Clooney recalled the violence of 1968, including the deaths of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, stating that the U.S. has survived other dark periods and will emerge better from this one.