Several celebrities took to social media late Friday and slammed President Donald Trump for pardoning Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted in July of violating a federal court order not to detain suspected illegal immigrants.
Actor and director Rob Reiner, a very vocal Trump critic, called the president a “truly hateful human being” who will go down in history as a “racist president”:
DT, not to be upstaged by an act of God,announces future ban of transgenders from military & pardons Arpaio. DT-a truly hateful human being.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 26, 2017
With the pardoning of Joe Arpaio, Donald Trump has solidified his place in U.S. history. America knowingly elected a racist president.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 26, 2017
Elsewhere, House of Cards creator Beau Willimon slammed Trump for his policy barring transgender people from the U.S. armed forces and for pardoning the Arizona sheriff. “@realDonaldTrump is a hateful, cowardly menace,” Willimon wrote to his 141,000 Twitter followers:
Transgender Ban & Arpaio pardon on the same day, hiding behind the news of Hurricane Harvey. @realDonaldTrump is a hateful, cowardly menace. https://t.co/u2NxsXMYXi
— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) August 26, 2017
Left-wing comedian Sarah Silverman said, “Trump’s pardon of Arpaio was just 1 more in a series of secret handshakes w the white power movement,” while Hollywood mega-producer Judd Apatow used the president’s pardon to urge his followers to register to vote:
Trump’s pardon of Arpaio was just 1 more in a series of secret handshakes w the white power movement https://t.co/H2C9pOKAAc
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) August 26, 2017
Of every American in prison this is the only one he stands up for. If you do not register to vote today you are insane. @RockTheVote https://t.co/7ayYOgO6UW
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) August 26, 2017
Below is a roundup of celebrity reaction to Trump’s pardon:
AMERICAN HERO John McCain rips MORONIC Trump for pardoning RACIST FUCKWAD Joe Arpaio https://t.co/xqSZMDJ6TO via @HuffPostPol
— ROSIE (@Rosie) August 26, 2017
You don’t need to be on CSI MIAMI to notice a little birdie in a tree wants to be removed from office, while still keeping his base. #arpaio
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) August 26, 2017
How Many Inmates Died in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Jails? Who Knows it’s a Big Number.Arpaio & trump,murder incorporated. https://t.co/g8RRRQbLU0
— Cher (@cher) August 26, 2017
1) Pardoning #JoeArpaio is utterly disgusting. 2) #shameonyou for your Transgender ban. 3) Glad your Russian spy quit. #goodluckwiththat
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) August 26, 2017
Gorka resigned!
But also Trump shamelessly pardoned Arpaio.
Bit from column A, bit from column B.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) August 26, 2017
THAT MOTHERFUCKER!!! the utterly repulsive President pardons a vicious racial profiler who has caused death and misery for years. #IMPEACH!
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) August 26, 2017
A Disgusting Racist Disgrace. https://t.co/wT2cPrsBeu
— Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) August 26, 2017
This was America’s worst Sheriff letting sexual abuse go unchecked. Now Pardoned! The Joe Arpaio I Knew – ProPublica https://t.co/xDdVL8gSsG
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 26, 2017
Today’s headline: Trump pardons Arpaio.
Tomorrow’s headline: Pence pardons Trump.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 26, 2017