Stallone Told Trump Envoy Role Was Impossible: 'Thank You and Ciao'
The actor revealed he learned of his appointment as a special Hollywood ambassador from President Trump via television and felt the role was unfeasible.
Sylvester Stallone has revealed that he considered the special ambassador role to Hollywood, appointed by then-President Donald Trump, to be an impossible task. Stallone stated he conveyed this sentiment to Trump, saying, "thank you and ciao."
In January 2025, days before Trump's second inauguration, the former president announced on his platform Truth Social that Stallone, along with actors Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, would serve as "Special Envoys." Trump described their role as being his "eyes and ears" in Hollywood to advise on efforts to bring film and television production back to the United States.
Stallone, 80, recalled in a recent interview with The Sunday Times that he was blindsided by the announcement, learning of it while watching television. "I was watching TV one night, and they go, ‘So Stallone and Mel Gibson and Jon Voight will be …’ And I went, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Excuse me? Really?’ Because if they had asked me in the beginning, I would have said, ‘This is not possible,'" Stallone stated.
He expressed reservations about taking on the position, viewing Hollywood as being composed of "feudal states" with "little kingdoms." Stallone explained, "You don’t go in and tell six studios how to do things. And Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, we’re kind of do-our-own-thing people. No, it won’t work."
Stallone told Trump that the role was not feasible because "Hollywood works, and it will evolve." He added, "It’s corporate, and corporate people won’t want to hear me tell them about finance."
In his Jan. 16, 2025, Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California.” He continued, “These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!”
At the time of the announcement, Mel Gibson told Variety that he was also surprised by the appointment, stating, “I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised. Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can.”
Stallone has previously expressed support for Trump. Days after Trump's victory in the November 2024 election, Stallone introduced him at the America First Policy Institute Gala at Mar-a-Lago, calling him a "mythical character."
In 2025, Trump personally named Stallone as one of that year's Kennedy Center honorees.
Meanwhile, Jon Voight, a supporter of Trump, has reportedly embraced his role. Voight has met with the White House and advocated for federal tax incentives to encourage film and TV production in the U.S. Voight's manager, Steven Paul, indicated that Stallone has been involved, stating that Stallone "signed our letter."
In August 2025, Trump posted on Truth Social that Hollywood was a "Complete and Total Disaster" with "no incentive" for productions to stay in the U.S. He urged bipartisan legislation to support the American entertainment business. Following this, Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff and Laura Friedman expressed support for Trump's proposal.