In a recent appearance on comedian Jamie Kennedy’s podcast, Rapaport offered something that has become increasingly rare in today’s political climate: a public acknowledgment that he got some things wrong.
The actor, who once built a large following by mocking Trump, explained why his perspective has changed in recent years and why he no longer views the former president through the same lens.
A Major Shift From His Earlier Trump Attacks
Rapaport was never a mild Trump critic.
His social media feeds became famous for lengthy tirades directed at the president. He frequently used insults and harsh nicknames while portraying Trump as unfit for office.
One of his most widely circulated attacks came in a viral video where he referred to Trump as a “dopey a**, b**** a**, clown a**, fake a** president.”
At the time, those comments earned widespread praise from progressive audiences.
But according to Rapaport, events following the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel forced him to reevaluate many of his assumptions.
The Hamas attack left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and resulted in hundreds of hostages being taken into Gaza. As the hostage crisis continued month after month, Rapaport said he began focusing less on partisan politics and more on finding a path to bring the captives home.
That process ultimately led him to an unexpected conclusion.
“I knew that the only way that those hostages – who were being held for weeks and then months and then a year – I knew that the only chance would be him,” Rapaport said during the podcast discussion.
The “him” he referenced was Donald Trump.
For many longtime observers of Rapaport’s political commentary, it was a remarkable statement coming from someone who had spent years publicly attacking the former president.
Firsthand Experiences Changed His Perspective
Rapaport explained that his views did not change because of campaign messaging or political pressure.
Instead, he pointed to personal experiences that deeply affected him.
The actor revealed that he has traveled to Israel nine times over the past two and a half years. During those visits, he met with families whose loved ones were among those kidnapped during the Hamas attack.
Those conversations left a lasting impression.
Rather than viewing the crisis through television coverage or social media posts, Rapaport encountered people living through the tragedy firsthand.
“The exposure and the enlightenment and the conversations I had with the hostage families, the reality that I saw,” he told Kennedy, “it’s worth it for me to not be disrespectful to him.”
That statement alone represented a dramatic departure from the rhetoric that once defined his public image.
Critics Wanted the Old Rapaport Back
The reaction from many on the left was swift.
According to Rapaport, some former supporters contacted him and urged him to resume his attacks on Trump.
His response made clear he was not interested in returning to old habits simply to satisfy political expectations.
“You got a platform,” he told them. “Say it. I said it enough.”
The actor appeared increasingly frustrated with what he viewed as pressure to maintain a particular political identity regardless of changing circumstances or new information.
For Rapaport, the hostage issue outweighed partisan loyalty.
When a hostage release and ceasefire agreement was reached in early 2025 through negotiations involving multiple parties, including Qatar and Egypt, he viewed the development as confirmation that progress had been made.
“Simply getting the hostages home,” he said, “was enough for me to not be disrespectful.”
Revisiting One of the Left’s Most Repeated Trump Narratives
Perhaps the most notable moment of the interview came when Rapaport addressed one of the most frequently cited controversies surrounding Trump.
For years, critics pointed to Trump’s comments following the Charlottesville incident and claimed he referred to white supremacists as “very fine people.”
The claim became a centerpiece of anti-Trump messaging and was repeatedly cited by politicians and media figures.
Rapaport admitted that after examining the complete remarks, he no longer believed the popular characterization accurately reflected what Trump actually said.
“When you see the full quote, that wasn’t what [Trump] said,” Rapaport said, “and I ranted on him hard for that, hard.”
He then offered an even broader reflection on his own political commentary.
“I wasn’t as informed, plugged in, educated as I am about politics, world politics,” he acknowledged. “I think it’s great to admit when you were wrong, uninformed, misinformed and spoke out of turn.”
In an era where public figures often double down rather than reconsider their positions, Rapaport’s willingness to openly acknowledge mistakes stood out.
Looking Ahead
Despite his changing views on Trump, Rapaport made clear that he has not become a Republican and does not agree with the former president on every issue.
Instead, he appears focused on a different political battle.
The actor has become an outspoken critic of New York City’s far-left political movement and has discussed a potential mayoral run in the future.
Rapaport has framed his message as a direct challenge to socialist policies and promises that he believes are unrealistic.
“I will do my best to make New York City affordable, but you will be getting nothing for free,” he said.
Discussing how he would confront socialist opponents, Rapaport added: “It has to be a dogfight. It has to be ugly.”
Whether his political evolution continues remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that one of Hollywood’s most vocal Trump critics is now publicly admitting that some of the narratives he once embraced were wrong. In today’s political environment, that kind of admission may be more shocking than any partisan attack.
