Donald Trump attacked George Clooney on his social media platform, Truth Social, criticizing a 60 Minutes interview in which Clooney discussed challenges faced by reporters and linked them to actions by the Trump administration. Trump called Clooney a 'second-rate movie star' and a 'failed political pundit'.
Clooney's comments on 60 Minutes alluded to the Trump administration's efforts to suppress press freedom, referencing Trump's significant lawsuits against CBS and ABC. He highlighted Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and the $15 million settlement with ABC over comments about Trump made on one of its shows. Clooney stated that he feels pressure is being used by the government to influence journalism.
Following escalating pressure on CBS, Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes, resigned, citing a loss of journalistic independence due to the interference.