John Cleese worries all Americans have been 'tarred by the MAGA brush'

John Cleese may be a famed funnyman, but on Wednesday, the Englishman delivered a not-so-hilarious assessment of his neighbors across the Atlantic, tweeting, "I'm afraid that all Americans are becoming tarred by the MAGA brush."

The co-founder of the renowned comedy troupe Monty Python made this assertion above a retweet of Gavin Newsom, in which the California governor decried, "The slush fund. The ballroom. The IRS get-out-of-jail-free card. Donald Trump isn’t serving the American people — he’s serving himself. And he thinks you’re dumb enough to fall for it."

This is in reference to President Donald Trump's billion-dollar ballroom project, as well as his recent settlement with the IRS, which established what critics have called a "slush fund" for January 6 rioters.

In the case of his ballroom, opposition to the effort has risen along with its projected costs. At the beginning of the project, Trump assured Americans that its $400 million price tag would be paid by donors, but recently, that number has leapt up to $1 billion, with the president now demanding it be paid using tax dollars. Americans overwhelmingly oppose it.

Then announced on Monday, the creation of a so-called "anti-weaponization" fund has prompted bipartisan outrage. Police officers injured in the January 6th attack on the Capitol have sued to stop payouts, and House Republicans have signaled their intention to "kill it."

Regardless of this pushback, Cleese doesn't seem optimistic about how it will impact the global perception of Americans.

"All my American friends — of whom there are many," he warned, "are going to experience hostility that they do not deserve."

Cleese's comments reflect growing international concern about America's political trajectory.

Across Europe and beyond, observers have expressed alarm at what they perceive as institutional erosion and the prioritization of personal interests over democratic principles. The comedian's warning suggests that the reputational damage extends beyond partisan divides—it threatens to taint America's global standing and the experiences of ordinary citizens abroad. International allies have grown increasingly skeptical of American leadership, and figures like Cleese worry that everyday Americans will bear the consequences of their government's actions through diminished soft power and goodwill.

His remarks underscore a broader sentiment: that the world is watching, and America's democratic institutions face a credibility crisis that may take years to repair. For Americans traveling or living internationally, Cleese implies, the political dysfunction at home translates into real-world prejudice they must navigate, regardless of their personal political beliefs or involvement in current events.

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