White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded to actor and activist Richard Gere's recent criticism of President Donald Trump by referencing a widely debunked rumor about Gere and a gerbil. The exchange began after Gere, in an interview clip, sharply criticized the Trump administration for dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and canceling foreign aid programs.
In a clip shared on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Gere called the administration's actions "insane" and suggested that Trump and his advisors lacked understanding of organizations like USAID. "He wouldn’t even know what it stands for, USAID, and he has idiots around him who have the same ignorance about it," Gere stated. He further questioned the administration's approach, stating, "Are we ashamed of it? Yes, that was the good part of us. He keeps saying we’re the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world. Well, what do you do if you’re the wealthiest, most powerful? You help people. You help people who don’t have healthcare."
The clip gained significant traction online, garnering over 1.3 million views on X. Following the spread of Gere's remarks, Cheung took to X to address the actor. He posted a screenshot that alluded to a "highly questionable" claim, appearing to mock Gere. Cheung wrote, "Sorry, not going to listen to a guy that may have put a gerbil up his ass."
This statement directly referenced a bizarre and long-debunked rumor about Gere and a gerbil. The claim, associated with the alleged sexual practice known as gerbilling, suggests the actor required emergency medical attention to remove a gerbil from his rectum. However, investigations by the National Enquirer and subsequent fact-checking by Snopes have found no evidence to support this story. Gere himself addressed similar rumors in a 2008 interview, referring to stories about him and a "hamster" as "crazy" and "infamous," and stated he chose not to pay them attention as it was a "waste of energy."