Stallone Rejects Trump’s Attempt to Politicize Hollywood
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Sylvester Stallone refused President Donald Trump’s offer to serve as a special ambassador to Hollywood, criticizing the impracticality of the role and highlighting the dangers of political interference in the arts.
Sylvester Stallone told The Sunday Times that he learned of President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 'Special Envoy' role for him, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight while watching television. Stallone expressed surprise and skepticism, pointing out that Hollywood operates like 'feudal states' with entrenched power structures, making it resistant to outside political meddling. He made it clear that an external envoy could not dictate studio decisions, implicitly criticizing Trump’s attempt to impose political control over the creative industry. Stallone later told Trump he appreciated the offer but declined, saying, 'thank you and ciao, because it is impossible.'
Trump had posted on Truth Social in January 2025 that the three actors would serve as his 'eyes and ears' to help bring film and television production back to the United States—a move widely seen as an effort to further politicize American culture and undermine artistic independence. While Voight, a staunch Trump supporter, has embraced the appointment and is lobbying for a federal production incentive, Gibson expressed surprise at the designation but said he would offer assistance. Stallone, who previously introduced Trump at a post-election gala, has a mixed political history, having supported both Republican and Democratic causes.
The proposal has prompted Trump to call for bipartisan legislation to revive the American entertainment industry, a move that some California lawmakers have supported, raising concerns about the growing influence of right-wing politics in the arts and the potential erosion of creative freedom.