‘Where is our leader?’ Dwayne Johnson calls out Trump in Black Lives Matter video
Actor Dwayne Johnson made an impassioned plea late Wednesday calling on President Donald Trump to take a stand in solidarity with the black community.
“Where are you?” Johnson repeatedly asked in the 8-minute video posted on Twitter and Instagram.
His video comes during national unrest as residents in hundreds of cities are protesting and marching against police brutality and racial injustice following the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
“Where is our leader? Where are you?” he asked. “Where is our leader at this time? This time where our country is down on its knees, begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain, begging and pleading with its arms out, just wanting to be heard, begging and pleading and praying for change. Where are you?”
Johnson told Variety in 2017 he would “100% consider” running for office in 2024. He said at the time Trump was not exhibiting “poise, perspective and the ability to bring our country together.”
The former wrestler turned A-list actor said he will do everything in his power to normalize equality.
“Of course, all lives matter. Every single one,” he said Wednesday. “All lives matter, because we, as Americans, believe in inclusivity. We believe in acceptance. We believe in human rights. We believe in equality for all. ... But in this moment right now, we must say the words: Black lives matter.”
Before his video message, Johnson posted twice on Instagram about the topic. Last week, he wrote about Floyd’s death and how the officers involved should be held accountable. Tuesday, he posted a black box, as many other celebrities did on what was called #BlackoutTuesday. In the post, he wrote “Black Lives Matter. #normalizeequality.”
Without mentioning Trump by name in his video, he repeatedly called upon the president to take action.
“We must become the leaders we are looking for. I’ll ask it one more time: Where are you? Where is that compassionate leader who steps up and takes accountability for his country and all the people in our country?” Johnson said. “Where are you? I’ll tell you what, we’re here. We’re all here. The process to change has already begun. You can feel it across our country. Change is happening. It’s going to take time. We’re going to get beat up. We’re going to take our lumps. There’s going to be blood, but the process of change has already begun.”
Following remarks by Trump that he would use military force against protesters, Johnson spoke against the idea.
“There is military force that has been deployed on our own people. Looters? Yes. Criminals? Absolutely,” Johnson said. “But our protesters who are begging and pleading, our protesters who are in pain. ... You know you would be surprised how people in pain would respond when you say to them, ‘I care about you.’ When you say to them, ‘I’m listening to you.’ You’d be surprised how people would respond — how Americans would respond.”