Why Henry Winkler Has A Bone To Pick With Donald Trump

Henry Winkler is known for his great sense of humor, but the "Happy Days" actor wasn't so happy when recalling an incident between himself and Donald Trump recently. While appearing as a guest on Bill Maher's podcast Club Random, Winkler revealed that he has a bone to pick with the former president. 

As Winkler explained, "I don't forgive people who don't see you, who don't acknowledge your existence." When asked to give an example of when someone had done that to him, Winkler said, "The first time I met a man who [was] running for president at the time. I met [Trump] at a ball, at a big event, and he literally pushed me out of the way." 

Maher shrugged off the anecdote and moved on to other talking points, but it clearly left a major impression on Winkler, who has been a staunch naysayer since Trump's transformation from real estate mogul to presidential hopeful to president. Could this subtle snub have been partial fuel for the fire? Given everything Winkler has said about Trump since the start of his first campaign in 2016, it certainly seems possible. 

Although some celebrities aren't very forthcoming with their political opinions, Winkler hasn't been shy about sharing his disdain for Donald Trump and his ego. He seemingly embraces every opportunity to criticize the former president. For instance, in a 2017 MSNBC interview with Hugh Hewitt, Winkler provided an overwhelmingly negative analysis of Trump: "I do believe that he is self-possessed or obsessed ... His life's blood is the sound of appreciation." When asked if he could think of anything positive to say about Trump, Winkler replied: "I'll get back to you on that." 

Winkler has also used social media as an avenue for lambasting Trump, especially X, formerly Twitter. For example, in a since-archived tweet, Winkler made a controversial comparison between Trump and a bygone dictator in response to the January 6th attack on the US Capitol Building: "Trump is exactly like Mussolini ... his term should end that way." On a lighter note, the actor lent his signature humor to an ongoing dialogue about whether or not Trump lifted a speech from the film "Legally Blonde." Winkler reposted another user's video, adding his own hilarious comment:

we like the same films https://t.co/GXW0QoGARU

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) July 23, 2024

According to Newsweek, which reached out to Trump for comment, a representative for the former president issued a very predictable response to Winkler's viral post: "Who is Harry Wankler?" The intentional misspelling of the actor's name is a prime example of the not-so-subtle shade Trump often directs at his opponents — political and otherwise.