The Screen Actors Guild released a statement thanking Donald Trump for his resignation from the union on Thursday. This comes after SAG-AFTRA’s National Board cited the former President for inciting the attack on the United States Capitol building in January and for leading a disinformation campaign designed to discredit journalists, which ultimately threatened the safety of many who are SAG-AFTRA members. The board also ordered the union’s disciplinary committee to meet this week and vote on taking action against the former President.
The SAG-AFTRA, which stands for Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, represents over 160,000 actors, broadcast journalists, and other media professionals. Trump gained a membership in the Screen Actors Guild after multiple brief appearances in movies and television shows, such as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Zoolander, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Sex and the City, appearing as himself in each role. However, Trump solidified his celebrity status as host of the reality series The Apprentice and its spinoff Celebrity Apprentice.
On Thursday, Trump resigned from the actors union after they cited him for violating the SAG-AFTRA’s Constitution, but before they could meet to hold a vote on removing him. In his resignation letter, Trump unleashed a tirade of petty complaints and insults directed towards Gabrielle Carteris, the president of SAG-AFTRA, to whom the letter is addressed. Trump begins the letter by exclaiming, “Who cares!” at the prospect of a disciplinary hearing. He went on to say, “While I’m not familiar with your work, I’m very proud of my work,” followed by Trump enumerating his own acting credits. He ended the letter by claiming, “You have done nothing for me.” In response to Trump’s resignation from the union, SAG-AFTRA issued a simple two-word statement, “Thank you.”
On January 13, then-President Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for inciting an attack on the Capitol. In response, Carteris issued a statement denouncing Trump for attacking the “values that this union holds most sacred – democracy, truth, respect for our fellow Americans of all races and faiths, and the sanctity of the free press.” Having lost re-election in November, Trump left office seven days later but will still face trial in the Senate for the impeachment charge.
Trump’s departure from the actors union will not explicitly prevent him from being cast in a film or television show in the future, but it should give producers and casting agents pause about employing him, if they were not apprehensive already.
Source: SAG-AFTRA