George Clooney dismisses Trump insulting him as a ‘second-rate’ movie star: ‘I don’t care’

George Clooney is brushing off insults from President Donald Trump.

In an April 21 appearance on “CBS Mornings,” the “Good Night, and Good Luck” star, 63, responded to a social media post where Trump slammed him as a “second-rate movie ‘star’ and failed political pundit.” The dig was a response to a “60 Minutes” segment where Clooney discussed the importance of freedom of the press.

“I don’t care,” Clooney told CBS of Trump’s comments about him. “I’ve known Donald Trump for a long time. My job is not to please the president of the United States. My job is to try to tell the truth when I can and when I have the opportunity.”

He added, “I’m well aware of the idea that people will not like that. There will be people who criticize that. Elon Musk has weighed in every once in a while. That’s their right do it, and it’s my right to say the other side.”

While talking about his role as broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow in the play “Good Night, and Good Luck,” Clooney told “60 Minutes” in a March segment that “we’re seeing this idea of using government to scare or fine or use corporations — to make journalists smaller,” adding that “governments don’t like the freedom of the press.”

Trump slams ‘puff piece’ from ’60 Minutes’ where George Clooney encourages free press

The “Ocean’s Eleven” star was alluding to lawsuits brought by Trump against various news organizations, including CBS’ TV newsmagazine “60 Minutes.” He continued, “It’s a fight that is for the ages, it will continue.”

In a Truth Social post on March 23, Trump slammed “60 Minutes” for its “puff piece” on Clooney, who the president said “dumped (former President Joe Biden) like a dog.” Trump was referring to Clooney writing an op-ed in The New York Times last year arguing that Democrats should replace Biden as their nominee in the presidential election, a suggestion that ultimately came to pass.

George Clooney says Democrats were ‘not telling the truth’ about Biden before op-ed

In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Clooney said this op-ed was his “civic duty.”

I’m a Democrat in Kentucky, so I get it,” he said. “When I saw people on my side of the street not telling the truth, I thought that was time to (say something).”

After Trump won the election, Clooney said on “The Late Show” in February that he was taking the same attitude that he encourages his son to have when he loses chess matches.

“He gets upset, and I (tell him), listen, you shake the guy’s hand, you say, ‘Good game, I’ll get you next time,'” Clooney said. “You’ve got to live by those rules, which is, ‘Alright, good. Good for you. Go. I hope you do well, because our country needs it, and then we’ll meet you in three-and-a-half years and see where we go next.'”