Conservative actor Jon Voight fulminated against California Gov. Gavin Newsom – whom he called a "lying dog" and a "fool" – just days after meeting with him in his role as president Donald Trump's "Hollywood ambassador."
The 86-year-old actor posted the blistering harangue late Tuesday, after Newsom sharply criticized the president's escalation of the situation in Los Angeles by activating National Guard troops and U.S. Marines without the governor's approval, and Voight defended Trump in a two-minute video posted on X, reported The Daily Beast.
“You’re a fool blaming Trump,” Voight said, talking before an American flag backdrop and calling Trump “the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln."
Voight has met with Newsom privately last Thursday to discuss their shared goal of bringing back film and television productions to California from other states that offer tax incentives, but he had strong words for the governor and even stronger words for the protesters.
“What are you doing for this destruction, these animals destroying Los Angeles,” Voight said. “Are you there? Talking calmly with them? You fool. They would burn you down like they’re burning the cars and the American flag, with no regard for humanity.”
Some of the demonstrators have set fire to self-driving taxis during the protests against the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants, and Voight – who was named in January as one of Trump’s “special ambassadors” for Hollywood, along with Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson – said the military escalation was necessary.
The troops are needed to “help with these destructive, barbaric riots," Voight said, adding that the governor had caused "chaos for the people. You’re a disgrace.”
