February 4, 2021

Trump Resigns From Screen Actors Guild Rather Than Face Disciplinary Meaures

Trump in 1989Renée C. Byer/Zuma

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Forget the United States Constitution. Former President Trump blatantly violated the constitution of the Screen Actors Guild, and the union’s disciplinary committee won’t have that.

The union wrote in a press release last month that a disciplinary committee would hear charges regarding “Trump’s role in inciting the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, and in sustaining a reckless campaign of misinformation aimed at discrediting and ultimately threatening the safety of journalists, many of whom are SAG-AFTRA members.” If Trump were found guilty, he’d face the most severe consequence possible: expulsion.

Trump may not have been willing to resign from the presidency, but the Screen Actors Guild? Pfft. In his words: “Who cares!” In a letter released today, Trump, still referring to himself as the president, declared that he no longer wished to be associated with the union—but not before bragging about his performances in Home Alone 2 and Zoolander.

Trump isn’t the first president to be a member of the guild. Former President Ronald Reagan served seven terms as its president and even managed to negotiate a residual payment system for actors. Too bad not all actors-turned-presidents could rely on the lasting respect of Hollywood.

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

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