Sacha Baron Cohen Praises Trump's 'Brilliance' Amid Controversy

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Actor Sacha Baron Cohen has offered a rare compliment to former President Donald Trump, describing him as a man of “brilliance” and criticizing the left for dismissing him as a “nincompoop.” The remarks came during an interview with Josh Horowitz of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, as Cohen prepares for the release of his latest film, Ali G: Who Iz I?.

Early Encounter with Trump

Cohen recalled an interview with Trump from over two decades ago, when the real estate mogul was not yet a presidential candidate. During their meeting, Cohen noted that Trump was not punctual, waiting for about 40 minutes before the interview began. “All of them were punctual,” Cohen said, referring to the other notable figures he had interviewed for his Da Ali G Show series. “Donald Trump kept us waiting for about 40 minutes.”

Cohen described Trump’s behavior as a “power move,” explaining that the former president would rant at his staff upon entering the room, which intimidated those around him. “It really was a power move,” Cohen said, adding that he felt “intimidated” during the encounter. “He was delivering an expletive-laden rant at his staffers.”

Understanding Trump’s Resilience

Cohen reflected on how Trump managed to win a second term despite the setbacks of 2020. “How has he survived a second term? People underestimated him,” Cohen said. “We were too easy to dismiss him as a nincompoop. There are elements of brilliance to him, otherwise. And that explains his appeal with the fact that he’s there for a second term, the fact that he’s transforming this country.”

Despite these remarks, Cohen has long been a vocal critic of Trump. In 2021, he celebrated the social media bans of the former president, calling him a “purveyor of hate.” He also made jokes about Trump’s potential vice-presidential pick of Bill Cosby in 2016, a time when Cosby was serving a prison sentence for sexual assault.

Controversial New Film

Cohen’s new film, Ali G: Who Iz I?, opened this weekend, but faced controversy. In September, screenings were canceled after critics accused Cohen of promoting racist stereotypes through his Ali G character. The film is expected to perform poorly at the box office.

Cohen’s recent praise for Trump has been seen by some as a calculated move to boost his film’s appeal, particularly among Republican and conservative audiences. However, his past criticisms of the former president suggest that his remarks may be more strategic than genuine.

Source: Breitbart