White House issues scathing response to Mark Ruffalo’s comments about ‘lying’ Vance and ‘pedophile’ Trump

Mark Ruffalo sparked controversy at the Golden Globes after making very strong comments about President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, which quickly drew a harsh response from the White House.

While walking the red carpet at the awards ceremony, Ruffalo was interviewed by USA Today and asked about a pin on his tuxedo that read “BE GOOD.” He explained that the pin was worn in memory of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 7.

Good was killed during an ICE operation in her neighborhood. Video footage from the incident shows her sitting in her car while officers approached. One officer attempted to open her door, and as she tried to drive away, ICE officer Jonathan Ross fired his weapon, fatally shooting her. The Department of Homeland Security later defended the officer’s actions, saying Good attempted to run him over and that the use of force was justified.

In response to the incident, Ruffalo and several other celebrities chose to wear the “BE GOOD” pin at the Golden Globes as a form of protest and to draw attention to what they see as injustices surrounding immigration enforcement.

While explaining the meaning behind the pin, Ruffalo went further and launched into criticism of the current administration. He accused Vice President JD Vance of lying about what is really happening in the country and criticized U.S. foreign policy. Ruffalo also made a series of explosive claims about President Trump, accusing him of ignoring international law and acting only according to his own personal sense of right and wrong.

Ruffalo described Trump as a convicted felon and referred to his past legal issues, including the 34 felony counts Trump was convicted on in May 2024 for falsifying business records. Ruffalo also referenced the civil case in which a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s, though it was not a criminal conviction. He then went even further, calling Trump a pedophile and saying he believed Trump was one of the worst people imaginable to hold such power.

It is important to note that Trump has never been charged with, or convicted of, any crime involving pedophilia or child sexual abuse. While Ruffalo’s comments were framed as personal opinion, they included accusations that are not supported by criminal charges.

The White House did not stay silent. Steven Cheung, who serves as Assistant to the President and White House Director of Communications, responded sharply on social media. Writing on Twitter alongside a Page Six article that covered Ruffalo’s remarks and other celebrity criticism of ICE, Cheung mocked the actor and dismissed his comments entirely.

Cheung sarcastically referred to Ruffalo as a “poor thing” and criticized his acting career, calling him one of the worst actors in the business. He then went further, attacking Ruffalo personally and accusing him of spreading outright lies. Cheung claimed Ruffalo’s comments reflected self-hatred and accused him of knowingly subjecting the public to what he described as terrible performances.

The exchange highlights the growing tension between Hollywood figures and the Trump administration, particularly over immigration policy and law enforcement actions. Ruffalo’s representatives have been contacted for comment, and media outlets have also reached out to the White House for further response.