Sylvester Stallone's Weird Trump Praise Has One Name On Everyone's Lips

When Americans look back on who they consider the nation's all-time greatest presidents, the faces carved into Mt. Rushmore — Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and, of course, George Washington — are some of the first names that might come to mind. For "Rocky" actor Sylvester Stallone, the spirit of the latter president can apparently be seen within the incoming commander-in-chief, Donald Trump.

While they attended the America First Policy Institute gala at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort on November 14, 2024, Stallone, whose relationship with the Donald Trump led to him joining the Mar-a-Lago Club, made a bold statement comparing the President-elect and his political career to the nation's first president, and his leadership during the American Revolution. Such a claim surely inflated Trump's easily crushed ego. "I'll just say this — and I mean it," Stallone began (via Variety). "When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world. Because without him, you could imagine what the world would look like. Guess what? We got the second George Washington. Congratulations!"

In a bizarre turn of events, Stallone's comments resurrected a debate among X, formerly Twitter, users concerning Stallone and another prominent action star: "The Terminator's" Arnold Schwarzenegger. When choosing which of the two macho men is the superior action hero, Trump supporters appeared elated by Stallone's message, thus making it an easy decision who has the upper hand. "I always preferred Stallone over Schwarzenegger," one X user said. Meanwhile, Trump's detractors have apparently sided with Schwarzenegger as their champion. "Sylvester Stallone calls Donald Trump the second George Washington," another X user said. "This made me sad... until I realized we have Arnold."

Arnold Schwarzenegger served as the governor of California from 2003 to 2011, carving out his own presence in the Republican Party. However, in October 2024, Schwarzenegger made his opinion about Donald Trump abundantly clear. In a post on X, he explained that he could not vote for Trump, citing his handling of the 2020 election results and his own desire to vote with his country in mind instead of his party. "Rejecting the results of an election is as un-American as it gets," he wrote. "To someone like me who talks to people all over the world and still knows America is the shining city on a hill, calling America is a trash can [sic] for the world is so unpatriotic, it makes me furious."

Some X users appreciated Schwarzenneger for his level-headed approach to politics, especially compared to Stallone, who perceivedly misinterpreted George Washington's goals as a leader when comparing his work to Trump's. "Arnold Schwarzenegger has consistently championed bipartisan solutions, action on climate change, and strengthening democratic institutions which are values that inspire hope and unity," one user argued. "Recognizing leaders who prioritize progress and collaboration reminds us that there are still figures working to uplift and unite rather than divide."