Actor and prominent Democratic donor George Clooney has definitively stated he will not run for president, citing his age as a key factor.
Speaking at The Future of Creativity event in Venice, Italy, Clooney, 65, expressed a preference for "younger voices" with "new ideas and some new thoughts" to lead the Democratic party.
He identified three Democratic politicians he views favorably for a potential presidential run in 2028: Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, Illinois Governor Jay Pritzker, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. Clooney emphasized that he would not explicitly endorse a single candidate until after the upcoming November midterm elections.
Clooney specifically praised Ossoff, 39, noting his election to the Senate in 2021 made him the youngest person elected to the chamber since 1980 and the first millennial U.S. senator.
"I am 65 years old, and I think that we need some young voices that are coming up with new ideas and some new thoughts," Clooney said, confirming he would "absolutely not" enter the presidential race himself.
This stance echoes sentiments Clooney expressed in a July 2024 New York Times op-ed, where he questioned the advanced age of then-President Joe Biden, then 81. Clooney wrote that the version of Biden he saw at a fundraiser was not the same energetic figure from previous years.
Clooney has been a significant figure in Democratic fundraising since 1988. His previous public commentary on Biden's age was noted for influencing the political discourse, with some observers suggesting it contributed to the momentum for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, which he did 11 days after Clooney's op-ed.
In her book about the election cycle, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized Clooney's influence, writing that his opinion as an A-list celebrity drew significant media and public attention. Jean-Pierre, who attended the fundraiser Clooney hosted with Biden, suggested that fatigue might have affected Biden's performance at the event, rather than implying a lack of capability due to age alone. She also described Clooney's public statements as potentially accelerating efforts by some within the party to encourage Biden to step aside.