Actor and writer Wil Wheaton has publicly criticized Dwayne Johnson, calling him a “coward” for his stance on keeping political views private. Wheaton expressed his disappointment on Threads, a social media platform, in response to Johnson’s recent comments to Esquire magazine.
Johnson, 53, stated in the interview that he intends to refrain from publicly discussing his political opinions to prevent them from overshadowing his professional work. "I've learned I'm going to keep my politics to myself," Johnson said, adding that he needs to "keep the main thing the main thing," which for him is "creating, art, storytelling."
Johnson, who identifies as an Independent, also expressed a desire for people with differing political viewpoints to engage in dialogue rather than public disputes, describing the political climate as filled with "slinging" and "bulls—."
Wheaton, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, has a history of being outspoken about his own political views and actively campaigned for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. In contrast, Johnson publicly endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election but later expressed regret, stating it contributed to division. He indicated he would not endorse another presidential candidate for the 2024 race.
Despite his general approach to remaining apolitical, Johnson has commented on political events. He condemned the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump, stating that political violence has no place in America. "Whether you love Donald, don’t love Donald, it doesn’t matter. They tried to assassinate him. There’s no room for that," Johnson remarked in September 2024.
Trump himself mentioned in an October 2024 appearance on "Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway" that Johnson had contacted him after the assassination attempt, calling his actions "incredible" and considering it bravery.