Mark Ruffalo has drawn sharp political attention after using the Golden Globes red carpet to highlight a protest campaign and to deliver a sweeping denunciation of US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Ruffalo, best known for his roles in the Marvel films and the Oscar-winning Spotlight, was among a number of celebrities who appeared at the Beverly Hills Hotel venue wearing a small “BE GOOD” pin. Organisers behind the campaign have said the badges are intended to honour two people they say were killed in separate incidents involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, while also urging Americans to “be a good citizen, neighbor, friend, ally and human” amid what they described as “such horror”.
Asked about the pin while on the red carpet, Ruffalo linked it to the death of Renée Nicole Good, saying: “This is for Renee Nicole Good, who was murdered.” He then widened his remarks to a broader critique of the current administration and US foreign policy, naming JD Vance and Trump in his comments and alleging dishonesty at the top of government.
“We have a vice president who’s lying about what’s happening,” Ruffalo said, before referring to a conflict involving Venezuela. “We’re in the middle of a war with Venezuela that we illegally invaded. [Trump’s] telling the world that international law doesn’t matter to him.”
Ruffalo went on to attack Trump personally and repeatedly, saying: “The only thing that matters to him is his own morality, but the guy is a convicted felon; a convicted rapist.” Ruffalo then added: “He’s a pedophile. He’s the worst human being. If we’re relying on this guy’s morality for the most powerful country in the world, then we’re all in a lot of trouble.”
The remarks immediately prompted debate online, both among supporters who praised Ruffalo for speaking out and critics who argued he was inflaming tensions or making claims that go beyond what has been established in court.
Trump was convicted in 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York, becoming the first former US president convicted of a crime. In a separate civil case brought by writer E Jean Carroll, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, but it was not a criminal prosecution and did not result in a criminal conviction. Trump has denied wrongdoing in that matter and has appealed parts of the case. There is no public record of Trump being charged with a sex crime involving children, and he has not been convicted of rape in a criminal court.
Ruffalo’s comments came amid a wider show of solidarity on the Golden Globes red carpet tied to the “BE GOOD” campaign. According to the statement cited by organisers, the effort is meant to honour Renée Macklin Good and Keith Porter. The organisers named by the campaign include the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as advocacy groups Maremoto, MoveOn, National Domestic Workers Alliance and Working Families Power.
The case that Ruffalo referenced directly, involving Renée Nicole Good, has been described by organisers as the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer “last week”. Some campaign materials and reports have used the name “Renée Macklin Good” in connection with the same tribute, suggesting the campaign is referring to the same individual.
The second death cited by organisers, Keith Porter, was described as the fatal shooting of a man on 31 December in Northridge, Los Angeles, by an off-duty ICE officer. Reports cited by campaign coverage said there was a dispute over whether Porter was armed at the time, with his family denying he was holding a gun, according to an account attributed to the Los Angeles Times.
Ruffalo framed the pin not only as a tribute but also as a statement about fear inside the United States. He said it was for “people in the United States who are terrorized and scared today”, adding that he was “one of them”. He concluded: “I love this country. And what I’m seeing here happening is not America.”
Other celebrities also wore the badge. Comedian Wanda Sykes appeared with the pin and, according to coverage of red-carpet interviews, told Variety that the public needed to “shut this rogue government down”.
Ruffalo has for years been outspoken on US politics and social issues, including climate change and immigration, and he has aligned himself publicly with progressive causes and Democratic candidates. His political activism has periodically drawn backlash in conservative media and on social platforms, particularly when he criticises Republican leaders or policies. The Golden Globes remarks represent one of his most direct and incendiary public attacks on a sitting president and vice president, combining criticism of policy with allegations of criminality and sexual misconduct.
The Golden Globes ceremony, traditionally a showcase for Hollywood’s awards season, has increasingly become a stage for political messaging, particularly around immigration, policing and global conflict. This year’s red-carpet focus on the “BE GOOD” pin brought that dynamic into sharper relief, as the badge moved from a small accessory to a centrepiece of questions directed at prominent attendees.
The White House has now issued a scathing response.
