Conservatives are calling out Tom Hanks for saying he wouldn't screen 'The Post' at the Trump White House
- Some conservative commentators are calling out Tom Hanks for saying he wouldn't screen his latest film, the newspaper drama "The Post," at the White House.
- Hanks said in an interview on Thursday that he takes issue with what he sees as the Trump administration's attempts to "denigrate" the freedom of the press.
- Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and Fox News host Laura Ingraham, along with a number of social media users, were quick to voice negative reactions in response to Hanks.
Some conservative commentators and social media users are calling out Tom Hanks after the actor said he wouldn't screen his new film, "The Post," at the White House.
Hanks stars alongside Meryl Streep in "The Post," a Steven Spielberg film which depicts The Washington Post's battle with Richard Nixon's administration to uncover and publish secret government records on the failing U.S. effort in the Vietnam War.
Hanks told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday that he wouldn't screen "The Post" at the White House if asked, saying, "Right now, without a doubt, there are people in power trying to - if not quash or stop the right to publication, [then at least] denigrate it to the point [where] they are saying there is no truth to it whatsoever."
While the White House has historically screened films in the theater of its East Wing, there is no indication that Trump has asked to screen "The Post."
In response to Hanks' comments, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that Hanks should "take the lead" in discussing issues with Trump personally, rather than refusing a potential screening.
"I think the idea that it's become cool to say I won't even show up to see the President of the United States is a sad commentary on where we are," Spicer said. "I think that for people like Tom Hanks, who I think is a great film producer and director - he should take the lead maybe say, you know what? I want to go talk to the president about these important issues that were brought up in my movie in 'The Post.'"
Fox News host Laura Ingraham also called out the Oscar-winning actor on Thursday, saying that Hanks "kind of flops as a political commentator and pundit," and that the actor was "insulting the president just to sell his movie."
A deluge of ostensibly conservative social media users also took issue with Hanks' comments:
"The Post" opens nationwide on Friday. It currently sits at an 84% "Fresh" rating on the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.