Dwayne โThe Rockโ Johnson delivered a brutal correction to claims Hollywood stars all support President Biden, noting that they may be โloyal to the (Democratic) Partyโ but laughed at the assumption they are Biden fans.
The actor and wrestler, 51, walked back support for Biden in a discussion with podcast host and frequent Biden critic Joe Rogan this week, where they got into a lighthearted back-and-forth about Americaโs hostile political divides.
After declaring that he had friends across the political spectrum, Rogan questioned: โDo you really have friends who support Biden?โ
โNo no no no,โ Johnson responded while laughing, as he clarified that Biden has hardly won the hearts and minds of Hollywoodโs diehard Democrats.
Actor and wrestler Dwayne โThe Rockโ Johnson clarified that his diehard Democratic friends in Hollywood are only โloyal to the partyโ and not to President Biden
Podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan questioned if Johnson โreally had any friends that support Bidenโ, as the two discussed Americaโs deep political divides
President Biden (pictured Friday at the APEC meeting in San Francisco) is under mounting scrutiny over his age as poll numbers suggest he faces an uphill re-election battle
The Rock chimed in on the state of the presidential race at a time of growing speculation over his own White House ambitions.
In a recent appearance on podcast What Now? with Trevor Noah, Dwayne shared: โAt the end of the year in 2022, I got a visit from the parties asking me if I was going to run, and if I could run.โ
In 2021, a poll also revealed that almost half of Americans would support Johnson if he decided to run for the presidency, and he has frequently courted ideas around a presidential run โ including acting in a fictionalized 2032 campaign in his show โYoung Rock.โ
While not known to often wade into more controversial political issues, Johnson conversed with Rogan about how much more heightened political divides have become in recent times.
โWhen I was a kid, you could have a Republican friend, like it was no big deal,โ Rogan said.
โLike, โOh Bobby likes George Bush, who cares? Who gives a f***?
โYou were a supporter of Bill Clinton, he liked George Bush, nobody cared. Nobody was like, โF*** you!โ
โIt wasnโt like, โYouโre a Naziโฆ What do you mean Iโm a Nazi, I just want lower taxes,โ Rogan joked. โHow did I become a Nazi?โ
NEW: The Rock backtracks after saying he has friends who support President Joe Biden.Rock: โI have friends who support Trump. I have friends who support Biden.โRogan: โDo you really have friends who support Biden?โRock: โNo, no, no, no, noโฆ Thank you. Thatโs a good checkโฆ pic.twitter.com/IGUDmx8Hfp
โ Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 15, 2023
Johnson agreed that the devolution of political acceptance in recent years is โthe craziest thingโ, and said he has friends who hold views across the political aisle.
โI have friends who support Trump, and I have friends who support Biden,โ he said.
Rogan quickly interjected, questioning: โDo you really have friends who support Biden?โ โ a question that led the former WWE Champion to break out in laughter.
โNo no no no,โ he said, adding: โThank you, thatโs a good check, because thatโs important, this is important context.โ
โThey support the Democratic Party,โ Rogan answered for him, as Johnson said: โI have friends who are loyal to the party.โ
The Rock has often entertained ideas he could run for president, and has previously said he has โthat goal to unite our country and I also feel that if this is what the people want, then I will do thatโ (pictured with President Barack Obama in 2014)
Life imitating art: In Young Rock, Johnson recalled his life during a fictionalized 2032 run for President
Johnsonโs remarks on the state of US politics come as he frequently entertains ideas that he could seek the presidency, but has not offered an indication over which party he would seek the nomination for.
He also declined to say which political parties have approached him for a potential run in his discussion with Trevor Noah this month, he has admitted he was โreally honoredโ by hypothetical support for a White House bid.
Speaking about the 2021 poll, he said: โThat was an interesting poll that happened and I was really moved by that. I was really blown away and I was really honored.โ
โIt was a big deal, and it came out of the blue. It was one after the other, and they brought up that poll, and they also brought up their own deep-dive research,โ he told Noah.
He also floated a run for the presidency in 2021, after the promising poll first came out, when he said he wants to โuniteโ America.
Dwayne told Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist: โI do have that goal to unite our country and I also feel that if this is what the people want, then I will do that.โ
President Joe Biden continues to face negative poll after negative poll in his re-election campaign, with a new survey showing him trailing three GOP rivals by as much as 10 points
A new poll this week found that Biden would lose hypothetical general election matchups with three GOP rivals
A separate poll in September also set off alarm bells in the White House after it showed Biden down 10 points to likely 2024 rival Donald Trump
Losing the support of a Hollywood heavyweight such as Johnson may be a bitter blow to Bidenโs outlook on his 2024 re-election fight, after he has already faced several concerning recent polls over dwindling support.
This week, a poll from Marquette Law School found that the president is trailing his predecessor and likely 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump, by a 52 to 48 margin.
Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley holds the largest lead in the poll, dominating the incumbent by 55 points to 45.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who many saw as Trumpโs toughest challenger in the Republican Primary, leads him by a 51 to 49 advantage.
In September, a separate poll from the Washington Post set off alarm bells in the White House after it showed Biden down 10 points to Trump.
