Sylvester Stallone labeled President-elect Donald Trump the “second George Washington” as the actor invoked his “Rocky” movie series during the star-studded America First Policy Conference at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday night.
The 78-year-old Stallone described the opening scene of the first film where the camera pans down from a mural of Jesus inside an old church converted into a boxing gym as Rocky Balboa gets punched by his opponent, with the word “Resurrection AC Club” shown in the background.
“At that moment, he was a chosen person and that’s how I began the journey,” Stallone told the crowd in West Palm Beach, Florida. “Something’s gonna happen, this man is gonna go through a metamorphosis and change lives.”
“Just like President Trump,” he said as the audience erupted in cheers.
Stallone described Trump as a “mythical character” and said he was “awed” by the former and next president’s historic election night victory.
“This individual does not exist on this planet. Nobody could’ve pulled off what he pulled off, so I’m in awe,” he said.
The tough-man filmmaker compared Trump’s most recent campaign to the American Revolution and the nation’s first president.
“When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world. ‘Cause without him, you could imagine what the world would look like.”
“Guess what? We got the second George Washington,” he said.
“Congratulations,” Stallone said as he welcomed Trump on stage.
Stallone and Trump’s relationship has been well documented with rumors that the actor was a possibility to be chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts during the 78-year-old pol’s first term in office.
The star-studded Mar-a-Lago event featured well-known Trump supporters and politicians who were announced as members of Trump’s new administration.
Among the well-dressed individuals were Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk, all of whom Trump touted in his speech.
Others in attendance at the Palm Beach gala were Kennedy’s wife, Cheryl Hines, Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Tucker Carlson.