Sean Penn appeared on Jim Acosta’s Substack podcast recently to talk about the new film “Words of War,” and the discussion ranged across several topics in world politics. The always-outspoken actor and activist didn’t hold back his thoughts about the danger of President Trump and the direction the country is heading in.
While talking about El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele and whether Trump will try to stay in the White House past his term limit, Penn said that “we should consider worst cast scenarios” and that Trump “might try to destroy the world before he ages out of life.”
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“I do think it’s a reasonable theory that Donald Trump is not unlike the spouse of someone who leaves him, perhaps for another, who then murders their former partner because if they can’t have her, nobody can,” Penn said. “I think Donald Trump and his solipsism may have that relationship with the world and that this destruction is in part a power play, and also a literal intention of his final out.”
Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is an executive producer on “Words of War” along with Penn and was also a guest on the podcast, said, “What worries me is if he doesn’t believe there’s somebody who can protect him, you will see him ratchet up what he’s willing to do to the country to protect himself.
“Our only hope is a Congress that will check it, a press that will report on it, a court that’s independent to rule on it and a town square filled with Americans who say ‘hell no,’” Swalwell said.
Maxine Peake and Jason Isaacs star in “Words of War,” about the late Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was assassinated outside the elevator of her Moscow apartment in 2005.
Talking about Russia and the subject of the film, Penn said, “Those who think it can’t happen here either have not studied the certain indications that it will, unless people are involved and they’re educated.”
“We are tasting in our country what the Russians have gone through,” Penn warned.
“Words of War” is now playing in selected theaters.
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