Michael Douglas is speaking out about the current state of the world, and he is not holding back. While attending the opening of the Taormina Film Festival in Italy, the longtime actor shared his thoughts on global conflict, immigration, and the role the United States has played under Donald Trump’s leadership.
The 80-year-old Oscar winner spoke to reporters and apologized on behalf of the United States. He said the situation in the world right now is the worst he has seen in his lifetime.
“I was born at the end of World War II, but in my lifetime, this is the worst time that I can ever remember. I realize that my country bears a lot of the responsibility for the chaos that exists in the world. I apologize … to my friends, be it my neighbors in Canada or Mexico, or all the countries in the EU and NATO. I’m embarrassed and I apologize.”
Douglas has been a major figure in American film since the 1980s. His role as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street made him famous for the line, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” That film, and the image of unchecked greed it portrayed, reminded many people of Donald Trump’s business persona from the same era.
The two even crossed paths in 2010 while filming Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Trump filmed a cameo as himself, but the scene was cut from the final version.
Douglas went on to play the president in The American President and has often used his platform to talk about politics. He did not mention Trump’s name very often during the film festival, but his message was clear.
When asked what disappointed him the most recently, Douglas answered, “This last election in our country.”
He also criticized how Trump has handled immigration. “Immigration is a problem in every country,” Douglas said, but added that Trump has “created such drama, that all these immigrants were murderers and rapists. This is before he got elected.”
Douglas is concerned about how Trump has used presidential powers without approval from Congress. “And my question to our government is, when or how do we stop this executive power?”
Living in California, Douglas had strong words about how the state is being treated under Trump’s leadership. “The state of California is the fourth-largest GDP in the world. You have the United States, China, India — then the state of California. Bigger than Japan.”
He also spoke about the impact of immigration crackdowns in California’s farm regions, especially in the San Joaquin Valley, where many workers are immigrants who help grow food for the entire country.
“There’s no possible reason that you should call out the National Guard” to deport these people. “To go into these middle-class neighborhoods — these are people who all have had jobs, been living in the country for 30 years or whatever. A very heavy-handed approach which isn’t resolving anything.”
Michael Douglas did not just share opinions. He made it clear that he feels deep concern about where the world is headed and the role his own country has played in that.
