The former US president, Donald Trump, has been quite busy lately, criticizing Joe Biden on the one hand and running his election campaigns without breaks on the other.
However, if he doesn’t create a controversy every once in a while, Trump will lose his trademark approach to public attention. So, fear not, Trump has once more become the talk of the town.
On October 7, 2023, Donald Trump, while speaking at an Iowa Rally, complimented Silence of the Lambs’ Hannibal Lecter for being a great actor. Furthermore, he even claimed that the actor had admitted liking Trump. Neither Sir Anthony Hopkins, who played Hannibal Lecter, nor the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lectern himself never really cared about any politician, Trump made a grave error. He mistook a movie character, Hannibal Lecter, for an actor.
What Did Trump Say About Hannibal Lecter During the Iowa Rally Campaign?
This Saturday, Donald Trump gave a speech in Iowa during a campaign rally regarding the USA’s open border situation and how many people are easily getting into the country.
While the conversation was going pretty well, even criticizing Joe Biden for being an incompetent president who couldn’t stop the war between Israel and Palestine, Trump unexpectedly brought the topic to the classic thriller, Silence of the Lambs.
He referenced Hannibal Lecter from the film, said he was a great actor, and loved him because Hannibal apparently said he liked Trump as a politician.
However, the person named Hannibal Lecter only exists in fiction, and he was played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, meaning Trump was confused between the actor and the character’s name. Here’s what he said:
“Hannibal Lecter, how great an actor was he? You know why I like him? Because he said on television on one of the – ‘I love Donald Trump.’ So, I love him. I love him. I love him.”
“He said that a long time ago, and once he said that he was in my camp, I was in his camp. I don’t care if he was the worst actor. I’d say he was great to me.”
Many people were confused as to whom Trump was referring to because the character Hannibal Lecter was played by different actors, as there were several films with the character playing a significant role in them.
Nevertheless, Trump’s mention of Silence of the Lambs hinted that he is, in fact, referring to Sir Anthony Hopkins. The real question is, did the actor say he likes Donald Trump?
Did Sir Anthony Hopkins Say He Likes Donald Trump?
Even though Trump was confident about his claim regarding Hannibal Lecter expressing his love for the politician, Sir Anthony Hopkins never really said all that, at least not to the media.
In reality, it was the opposite, as Sir Anthony Hopkins claimed he never really liked any politician in an interview with the Guardian in 2018. He further added that he never votes because he doesn’t trust any politician. So, it is clear that Sir Anthony Hopkins never addressed Donald Trump in a positive light.
How Are Netizens Reacting to Donald Trump’s Claim?
If Trump had mentioned the name of Sir Anthony Hopkins, the situation would have been different, but since he was convinced that the actor’s name itself was Hannibal Lecter, he sparked quite a controversy.
Here are some notable reactions from the public on X, who utilized their Freedom of Speech to the full extent.
So, what do you think about Trump’s interview? Was he unaware of Sir Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lecter? Or was it intentional?
Let us know your stance in the comment section below.