Jason Isaacs’ unexpected segue into political commentary while promoting the latest season of “The White Lotus” is making waves on social media.
During a late February appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” host Jonathan Lemire had just welcomed the British actor to discuss the show when Isaacs commented on the challenge of shifting reporting from serious political issues ― specifically, the fallout from President Donald Trump’s controversial policies ― to a lighter entertainment segment. He then pivoted to a sharp critique of Trump. A clip of the exchange resurfaced this week and quickly went viral.
Isaacs, who plays ultra-wealthy businessman Timothy Ratliff in HBO’s dark comedy, didn’t hold back when discussing Trump’s cuts to global aid programs and looming attacks on Social Security.
“When I sat down, I went, ‘How do you transition from [talking about] killing people all over the world by taking their medicine away and then talk about a television show?’” Isaacs remarked. “But maybe there is some kind of segue because [‘The White Lotus’ is] about rich people being selfish.”
“I want to know this,” Isaacs continued. “If you decided that Medicare wasn’t working, would you shut down all treatment for every single person in America? Or would you go, ‘Let’s review it while it’s ongoing because we’re saving people’s lives?’”
He then appeared to reference the administration’s cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development: “How do you take money away from the entire world, killing millions of people, taking their medicine away, and then go, ‘We may give it back to you in a few months’ time, when you’re dead’? What is the logic behind that? Who voted for that?”
Isaacs then doubled down: “That was not part of his mandate. I watched in horror most of the campaigning, and he never mentioned any of that stuff.”
“Anyway, sorry, we’re talking about a television show, but there is a tie-in,” he added. “I am playing an enormously wealthy and self-centered person who has really only thought about himself for most of his life.”
“We appreciate versatile guests who can do both the news and their show,” said Lemire.
