Johnny Depp Apologizes for Saying 'Maybe It's Time' to Assassinate President Trump
Academy Award-winning actor Johnny Depp apologized Friday after telling revelers at the Glastonbury Festival in England that "maybe it's time" to assassinate President Trump.
In a statement to People magazine, Depp apologized for his comments, saying, "I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump. It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone."
During remarks made before the viewing of his 2004 film "The Libertine" at the festival's Cineramageddon event Thursday, Depp said the president "needs help" and joked about an actor assassinating him.
"When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?" Depp asked the audience in a quip about John Wilkes Booth killing Abraham Lincoln. "I want to clarify: I'm not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it's been awhile, and maybe it's time."
In response, the White House released a statement on Friday denouncing Depp's comments.
"President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and [it is] sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead," the White House said. "I hope that some of Mr. Depp's colleagues will speak out against this type of rhetoric as strongly as they would if this was directed toward a Democrat elected official."
Depp stars in such films as "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and "Edward Scissorhands." The actor is also the most recent example of a celebrity making threats against Trump.
In May, comedian Kathy Griffin garnered controversy for doing a photo shoot in which she held a severed and bloodied mannequin head in a blonde wig meant to resemble Trump. She later apologized.
Rapper Snoop Dogg made a music video released in March in which he depicts himself shooting President Donald Trump in the head.
During the Women's March on Washington in January, singer Madonna said she's thought a lot about "blowing up the White House."
Daily Beast columnist Matt Lewis documented several instances of this, concluding that "Trump Derangement Syndrome is a real thing" and ultimately harmful to Democrats.
"I suspect it will have counterproductive results for a party that might want to win back the White House someday," said Lewis.
"I've dedicated the last couple of years to speaking out against Trumpism. But if his adversaries are so odious as to drive me (an infamous Trump critic) into thinking maybe he is the lesser of two evils (or, at least, the less annoying!)―what do you think it is doing to working-class Americans?"
