President Donald Trump has slammed George Clooney as a "second rate movie 'star'"

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump fumed: "Why would the now highly discredited 60 Minutes be doing a total 'puff piece' on George Clooney, a second rate movie 'star,' and failed political pundit.

"He fought hard for Sleepy Joe's election and then, right after the Debate, dumped him like a dog. Later, I assume under orders from the Obama camp, pushed all out for 'Kamala,' only to soon realize that that was not going to work out too well."

"60 Minutes even fraudulently inserted Fake answers into her disastrous interview, aired just before Election Day, in one of the most embarrassing and dishonest events in broadcast history...And now George Clooney again? His press agent should be making a fortune!!!(sic)"

In his '60 Minutes' interview to promote his Broadway debut in 'Good Night, and Good Luck', George discussed the parallels between the turbulent media and political landscape in the play and in the US today.

He said: "When the other three estates fail, when the judiciary and the ex ecutive and the legislative branches fail us, the fourth estate has to succeed.

"ABC has just settled a lawsuit with the Trump administration. And CBS News is in the process ... We're seeing this idea of using government to scare or fine or use corporations-to make journalists smaller.

"Governments don't like the freedom of the press. They never have. And that goes for whether you are a conservative or a liberal or whatever side you're on. They don't like the press."

The 'Up in the Air' star also addressed the op-ed piece he wrote for the New York Times last year calling on then-President Joe Biden to step down as the Democrat candidate in the 2024 election.

He said: "I'll make it kind of easy. I was raised to tell the truth.

"I had seen the president up close for this fundraiser, and I was surprised. And so I feel as if there was a lot of profiles in cowardice in my party through all of that.

"And I was not proud of that. And I also believed I had to tell the truth."

When his essay was published, George was again blasted by Trump, who branded him a "fake movie actor" who "never came close to making a great movie."

He added: "What does Clooney know about anything?

"Clooney should get out of politics and go back to television. Movies never really worked for him!!!"