Despite an onslaught of backlash at the time, Vince Vaughn isn’t apologizing for his viral meeting with President Donald Trump at a college football game in January.
Rejecting the political Left’s new and fierce adherence to “cancel culture,” Vaughn said he was raised “with the idea that you could have different likes and beliefs and you should respect and defend that in other people, not shout it down.”
The “Old School” actor was asked during a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times about the backlash from the Trump interaction and calls from the Left to “cancel” him.
“In my career I’ve met a lot of politicians who I’ve always been cordial to; I’ve met Nancy Pelosi and was cordial to her as well,” Vaughn explained. “It was the only time I’ve ever met him. We said hello. He was very personable. I didn’t get into policies.”
“I think people are more charged than ever about these things,” the 50-year-old continued. “But I don’t think most people take that stuff as seriously as the small percentage that’s making noise about it.”
“I was raised with the idea that you could have different likes and beliefs and you should respect and defend that in other people, not shout it down,” said Vaughn. “The people you disagree with the most, you should stand up for their right to do that.”
Immediately following Vaughn’s interaction with Trump at the football game in New Orleans, leftist blogger Timothy Burke tweeted out the video clip, captioning it, “I’m very sorry to have to share this video with you. All of it, every part of it.” The tweet quickly went viral online, with fellow left-wingers outraged over Vaughn’s cordial interaction the president.
I'm very sorry to have to share this video with you. All of it, every part of it. pic.twitter.com/ELMbDHZbZq
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 14, 2020
The “Wedding Crashers” star has in the past publicly supported former libertarian Rep. Ron Paul and has been vocal about his support for the Second Amendment and limited government.
“I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home,” the actor told GQ Magazine back in 2015. “We don’t have the right to bear arms because of burglars; we have the right to bear arms to resist the supreme power of a corrupt and abusive government. It’s not about duck hunting; it’s about the ability of the individual. It’s the same reason we have freedom of speech.”
Aside from Paul, he told the LA Times, it’s been difficult for him to find candidates he can back.
“The only candidate I ever supported is [former Libertarian presidential nominee] Ron Paul,” he said, adding, “I don’t have a party that I support and endorse. In fact, for me sometimes it’s difficult to find a candidate that you feel is philosophically consistent and not just going along with whoever is funding their particular party. That’s as much as I’ll get into it at this point.”