Sylvester Stallone is learning the hard way that nostalgia has a short shelf life when politics enters the chat. More than a month later, the Hollywood legend is still catching heat for all the wrong reasons following a red carpet exchange at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors. The moment has reignit ed backlash following a clip of Stallone’s over-the-top praise of Donald Trump — a moment many viewers described as less admiration and more full-on flattery they couldn’t stomach. Sylvester Stallone’s public praise of Donald Trump sparks outrage after fans discover how long they have known each other. (Photos by Santiago Felipe/WireImage; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) ‘Just Be Bald Already’: Sylvester Stallone Shocks Fans After Arriving with a Cane — but His ‘Melting’ Hairpiece Sets the Internet on Fire Stallone, 79, was among the 2025 class of honorees, which also included Broadway legend Michael Crawford, disco icon Gloria Gaynor, rock band Kiss, and country music heavyweight George Strait, who all appeared in Washington, D.C., to accept one of the nation’s highest cultural honors for lifetime contributions to American film and entertainment. Some fans, however, were surprised to learn just how close the action star and the president actually are. The controversy began when Stallone was stopped on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 7 and asked directly about comments he made comparing Trump to George Washington after the election. View on Threads Stallone described Trump as an “extraordinary” person who has “the toughest job in the world, and it’s really easy for people to be critical, and I get it.” He continued, “I think he’s an extraordinary human being. The one thing people don’t realize is I’ve known him for thirty years. He”s very very gracious. That’s why the fella I know is quite different than the way he’s reported about.” Stallone framed his defense of Trump as personal rather than ideological, explaining that he has known him for roughly 30 years. He described Trump as gracious in private, recalling how he remembers family details and checks in during serious moments. According to Stallone, the Trump he knows is not the one the public sees. When the clip hit Threads, longtime fans reacted with fury as hsi explanation failed to slow the backlash. “Time to dismantle the Rocky statue in Philadelphia! Anyone who says they respect Trump has no respect for the American people!!” one person wrote. Another added, “Admitting he’s known Trump for 30 years is admitting to more than I think he realizes.” The criticism intensified when the reporter asked whether Vice President JD Vance could succeed Trump and continue the political movement he started. Stallone praised both men, calling Vance elegant and describing Trump as authentic. “When you look at a man eye to eye,” the “Rambo” actor said. “You can feel whether they’re real or whether they’re trying to posture.” For some fans, that was the breaking point. “Another disappointment and I was enjoying Tulsa King,” one user wrote, referencing Stallone’s Paramount+ series that helped power his recent career resurgence. Another commenter went further: “Stallone is on my F—K YOU, I’LL NEVER WATCH ANYTHING YOU ARE IN, list.” Others challenged Stallone’s characterization of Trump’s presidency altogether. Calls for a boycott soon followed. “Wtf is he serious. Stallone supports [Trump]!! Boycott Stallone movies!!” another user wrote, capturing the depth of anger among critics who once celebrated him as an underdog hero. Adding an uncomfortable twist, Trump himself appeared to undercut Stallone with a backhanded jab as the president served as the Kennedy Center Honors host. While onstage praising Stallone as a longtime friend, Trump joked that when he “needed help,” Stallone wasn’t there — before quipping that after the honor, maybe now he would be. Cameras caught Stallone reacting with a tight smirk, a moment that quickly went viral and fueled more commentary about loyalty and power dynamics. By the end of the night, the loudest reaction to Stallone’s Kennedy Center moment wasn’t the applause inside the theater, but the backlash that followed him down the red carpet and across social media. What was meant to celebrate his legacy instead reopened frustrations about celebrity politics and accountability, leaving fans split over whether nostalgia still applies when the questions hit hard. ‘WTF, Is He Serious?’: Sylvester Stallone’s Over-the-Top Trump Praise Has Fans Turning Sour After Discovering Just How Close They Are ...read more read less