Chris Rock Claims Donald Trump Got One Thing 'Right': 'The News Is Fake'

In a recent interview with Variety, comedian Chris Rock said that while he isn't a fan of President Donald Trump, he believes Trump was right about the media.

Rock was promoting his upcoming film, Misty Green, when the topic of Trump arose. Reflecting on Trump’s relationship with the press, Rock remarked: "I’m not a fan. But it’s weird when somebody gets one thing right, and the one thing almost clears them of all their other sins. The news is fake. He got that right."

Despite agreeing with Trump on this specific point, Rock is a longtime vocal liberal who has historically supported Democratic politicians.

In 2020, he argued that former President Barack Obama’s historic win was “progress for white people.”

“I said this before, but Obama becoming the president, it’s progress for white people,” he said. “It’s not progress for Black people. It’s the Jackie Robinson thing. It’s written like he broke a barrier, as if there weren’t Black people that could play before him. And that’s how white people have learned about racism. They think, when these people work hard enough, they’ll be like Jackie.”

While Rock didn't deep-dive into traditional electoral politics, he heavily criticized Hollywood's socio-political state, wealth inequality, and celebrity culture.

He discussed how his new film, Misty Green, is directly about the "crazy dichotomy" and socio-political environment of Los Angeles. He pointed out the absurdity of L.A.'s priorities: "There’s a real estate office on the same street as The Ivy on Robertson, and in the window, there are houses for $30–$40 million. In the window. But a homeless guy is sleeping right outside.”

He lamented how social culture has shifted from valuing talent to valuing attention. He remarked that people used to come to Hollywood wanting to be "great — a great singer, great actor."

Today, he implies the culture is hyper-focused on fame for fame's sake.

The interviewer noted that Rock has formed a protective habit of filtering his statements to appease his harshest critics before they even speak.

Explaining his carefulness in today's political and social climate, Rock joked: "I don’t want to say something mean and get canceled... I’ve seen firsthand what can happen."

When pushed on the infamous 2022 Oscars slap from Will Smith, Rock refused to center himself or play the victim, reframing it through a broader political and global lens: "It’s a crazy world. We walk by homeless people. There’s all sorts of s--t going on right now. Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important.”