George Clooney Amps Up His Feud With Donald Trump

George Clooney continues to be a minor character in this presidential campaign.

On Tuesday night, he appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and escalated his feud with former President Donald J. Trump.

This latest scrap originated after Mr. Clooney wrote a guest essay for The New York Times in July imploring President Biden to drop out of the race. Mr. Clooney had just hosted a fund-raiser for the president and observed him up close. So he had a certain credibility, and his article made an impact.

Mr. Trump appeared instantly intrigued by this act of treachery. It seemed irresistible to him — a member of the Hollywood elite of the highest order, turning against his fellow Democrat. Mr. Trump jumped right into the mix with a long post on Truth Social that began this way: “So now fake movie actor George Clooney, who never came close to making a great movie, is getting into the act. He’s turned on Crooked Joe like the rats they both are. What does Clooney know about anything?”

The post raised certain questions. Chief among them: Had Mr. Trump not seen “Ocean’s Eleven”? What about “From Dusk Till Dawn,” or “Three Kings,” or “Out of Sight,” or “Burn After Reading,” or “Syriana”?

He concluded that, “Clooney should get out of politics and go back to television. Movies never really worked for him!!!!”

On Mr. Kimmel’s program Tuesday night, Mr. Clooney swiped back: “I will if he does. That’s a trade-off I’d do.”

Ordinarily none of this would matter — and who is to say it really does? — but for the fact that Mr. Trump, formerly the star of “The Apprentice,” clearly craves the approval of fellow stars. He has given voice to a theory that famous people in Beverly Hills are secretly voting for him but won’t acknowledge it.

So when celebrities turn