Movie star and potential 2020 presidential candidate Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has taken exception with how President Trump has dealt with politically outspoken athletes.
According to “The Rock,” the players just want “to be heard.”
Johnson told InStyle Magazine, “When the players are kneeling as a last resort, as a desire to be heard, clearly they’re not being heard. It’s an opportunity for our leaders, our president and his staff, to hear them, truly hear them, and not be angry.”
Though, Johnson doesn’t merely confine his criticisms to how Trump has handled anthem-protesting NFL players. The actor and former wrestler also addressed the president’s criticism of NBA star Steph Curry, after the Warriors guard said he didn’t want to visit the White House.
Johnson said, “Steph is a very good buddy of mine—I know him and his family. And at the time when he declined the offer, I felt like it was our president’s perfect opportunity to say, ‘Now you must come to the White House and sit down with me, and I must hear you and understand you.’”
Johnson continued, “What we’re in need of is a greater leadership that’s inclusive and truly hears the people and doesn’t have a knee-jerk reaction out of anger. Scenarios like this, while divisive, also clarify what we really want in the future. And we’ll have a chance in a few years to cast another vote, and we’ll see where the American people are when that time comes.”
Remarking on his own potential political aspirations, Johnson stayed vague while saying he’s keeping a close eye on future developments.
“Where we’re at right now is just quietly observing everything happening on the political landscape, and when the next election comes along … I will be watching very intently,” Johnson explained.
Johnson and Tom Hanks jokingly announced a presidential run on Saturday Night Live. However, even before that skit, Johnson called a future in politics a “real possibility.”
