Fact Check: Did Matthew McConaughey say he never met anyone 'braver' or 'smarter' than Trump?
WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey said he had never met anyone "braver" or "smarter" than President Donald Trump.
The rumor surfaced at a time when pressure and criticism of Trump intensified following the Iran deal. Let us analyze and fact-check the claim.
Claim: Matthew McConaughey praised Trump
According to the viral claim that surfaced earlier this month, the Interstellar actor publicly praised the president, saying he had never met anyone braver, smarter, or more committed to America than Trump, even calling him a friend and a better president.
The claim spread across social media platforms such as Facebook and Threads, along with a quote stating, “I've worked with a lot of people in my life, and I've never met anyone braver, smarter, or who cares more about America than Donald Trump."
The quote went on to say, "He's a great friend and an even better president. I'm proud to be a steadfast supporter, and I'll never apologize for it. God bless America and our president.”
Fact Check: The quote is incorrectly attributed to Matthew McConaughey
The claim, however, is false, as there is no evidence that the Oscar-winning actor ever made such a statement about the president.
A Google search for the quote yielded no credible reports from major news or entertainment outlets, which would likely have covered the statement had it been genuine.
The search results instead revealed nearly identical social media posts claiming that the quote came from Mick Jagger, the frontman of the rock band The Rolling Stones.
The quote appears to have been incorrectly attributed to McConaughey and originated from social media and blog pages that use artificial intelligence tools to create inspirational or sensational stories about public figures.
Matthew McConaughey once urged cooperation with Trump
In 2017, while appearing on the BBC's 'Andrew Marr Show' to promote his movie Gold, the actor was asked whether left-leaning Hollywood stars should give Trump a chance.
“They don’t have a choice now," McConaughey said. "He’s our president and ... as divisive of an inauguration in time that we’ve ever had; at the same time, it’s time for us to embrace, shake hands with this fact and be constructive with him over the next four years.”
“No matter how much you disagreed along the way, it’s time to think about how constructive can you be, because he’s our president for the next four years – at least – president of the United States,” McConaughey told Marr.
