George Clooney cops backlash as fans recall his bold Joe Biden demand ahead of Donald Trump’s win

The US actor was singled out by fans who recalled the Ocean’s 11 star demanding current US president Joe Biden abandon his campaign for re-election as the 81-year-old simply “cannot win”.

Clooney, 63, pushed for Mr Biden to stand down in an op-ed published in The New York Times back in July, just three short weeks after he co-hosted a fundraiser for the president that raised $30 million.

But after seeing Mr Biden’s falter during the 2024 presidential debate against Mr Trump weeks later, Clooney was singing a different tune.

“But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time,” Clooney wrote in his op-ed. “None of us can.”

“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big F***ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

With the encouragement of his closest advisers, Mr Biden withdrew from the race and Clooney threw his support behind Kamala Harris as the new Democratic nominee.

However, after Ms Harris was annihilated at the polls with Mr Trump so far securing 295 electoral votes, well above the 270 needed to ensure victory, the internet has pointed the finger at Clooney.

“Thank you George Clooney,” journalist Joshua Hartley sarcastically tweeted as he uploaded a screenshot of the actor’s op-ed piece.

“Someone bring me George Clooney. We need to have a...talk,” a political commentator group called altNOAA also tweeted.

“Trump should not forget to thank the Hollywood celebrities. Especially George Clooney.”

“It’s just occurred to me, we have failed to acknowledge George Clooney’s roll in this victory!”

A string of celebrities have thrown their support behind Ms Harris when she took over for Biden in July, including Ariana Grande and Hilary Duff, who both since expressed their disappointment at the election loss.

“You are seen, valued, and unstoppable. Your strength and prowess are changing the word,” Duff wrote of Ms Harris in a statement. “In case you need a reminder today we will be OK.”

“Holding the hand of every person who is feeling the immeasurable heaviness of the outcome today,” Grande wrote on her Instagram story.