George Clooney has ruled himself out of the 2020 US presidential race, saying he does not have the appropriate "skill" for politics. The actor-activist's frequent and public criticism of US President Donald Trump ever since he assumed the post in 2016 had led people to believe he could run for office in the 2020 elections. However, the 58-year-old star said politics does not seem to be a logical place for him.
"I am not going to get into politics. It doesn't seem like a very logical place for me to be able to apply what skills I have. I don't have to make compromise for the things that I stand for and the things I believe in like politicians do. So it is not something that interests me," Clooney said.
According to FemaleFirst, he was speaking at the "Catch 22" press conference in Rome on Tuesday. He has starred in, co-directed and produced the Hulu series. Clooney said he is "nervous" about people rotating towards "authoritarianism" in present times.
"It is a very nervous time around the world. People sliding towards authoritarianism, it is something that is nerve-wrecking and that we should constantly monitor. The press do a very good job with that. I happen to be an optimist and I think that things turn around and it will hopefully head that way in the next election cycle."
The "Ocean's Eleven" star has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since 2008 and is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is married to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.