Donald Trump closed out 2024 with a parting shot at his familiar target: Disney. In a dramatic twist, the president-elect hailed Marvel Entertainment’s former chairman, Isaac Perlmutter, as a hero in his ongoing war against “woke culture.” Trump’s comments, delivered to a packed room at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, offered a mix of nostalgia, loyalty, and political theater.
“The guy went from stone-cold broke to owning Disney,” Trump told an enthusiastic crowd. “Then he got out of Disney because they went woke. He didn’t want woke Donald Duck.” The statement drew laughter and applause, with even Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone, standing nearby, chuckling along. Perlmutter, seated front and center, nodded slightly, embodying the stoic demeanor of a man used to the spotlight but wary of its glare.
Isaac Perlmutter, 80, has a story that fits neatly into Trump’s narrative. After taking control of a struggling Marvel Entertainment in the 1990s, he orchestrated a turnaround that culminated in the 2009 sale of the company to Disney for $4 billion. The deal allowed him to retain oversight of Marvel properties, but his tenure at Disney grew rocky. In 2015, corporate restructuring reduced his influence. By March 2023, Perlmutter’s role was terminated as part of Disney’s efforts to slash $5.5 billion in costs, according to Reuters.
Perlmutter’s departure was far from amicable. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, he claimed he was fired rather than laid off, attributing the fallout to creative disagreements and his outspoken support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the state’s public feud with Disney. Perlmutter aligned himself with DeSantis’ anti-woke rhetoric, further straining his ties with the entertainment giant.
Trump’s latest remarks reflect his long-standing feud with Disney, which he has accused of abandoning traditional values. Last year, he lambasted DeSantis for failing to “tame woke Disney,” but his tone shifted dramatically when it came to Perlmutter. “He left Disney because he wanted to, not the other way around,” Trump insisted, casting his friend as a principled dissenter rather than a casualty of corporate cost-cutting.
The event underscored Trump’s penchant for blending politics and personal loyalty. While his comments about Disney and Perlmutter ignited a fresh round of media buzz, they also hinted at the deeper alliances shaping his presidency. Perlmutter, a long-time donor and informal advisor, has reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in shaping Trump’s policies.
“Isaac is a straight shooter,” said one Mar-a-Lago attendee who asked to remain anonymous. “He doesn’t care about the glitz and glamour. He cares about results.”
As Trump prepares to enter the White House, his comments about Perlmutter and Disney highlight the cultural battlegrounds likely to dominate his presidency. Whether his anti-woke crusade resonates with the broader public or alienates key constituencies remains to be seen. For now, though, Trump seems content to stoke the flames, rally his base, and keep his inner circle close.
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GO Good Trump !!!