Scottish actor Brian Cox accuses Trump of 'losing the plot' in fiery outburst
Award-winning Scottish actor Brian Cox accused President Donald Trump of "losing the plot" and called his comments about allied troops "disgraceful."Cox, 79, labeled Trump "disgusting" for unfounded remarks suggesting Scottish military forces were on the front lines while allied troops "stayed a little back." The Succession star said the administration's erratic behavior represents a disaster for the U.S. and questioned whether Trump would complete his four-year term."I think we are in deep doo da actually," Cox said before receiving the Robert Burns Award at The St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles' 96th Robert Burns Supper. Trump sparked international outrage in January when he claimed on social media that U.S. troops, rather than NATO allies, led front-line fighting against the Taliban, writing that other forces "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."READ MORE: Melania Trump felt 'pressured' on her wedding day to husband DonaldREAD MORE: Donald Trump makes 'gross' claim about Paris Hilton's sex tape after meeting her aged 12After British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the remarks as "appalling," Trump reversed course on Truth Social, "The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America! In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It's a bond too strong to ever be broken."Cox refused to accept the reversal."It was disgusting and also lies. Not true," he said. "Our soldiers have behaved greatly and we lost a lot of them as a result. So I really find it insulting and always beggars belief. And then the whole Greenland thing, You know I just think the plot is definitely lost. It is absolutely disgraceful."Cox praised Starmer's response, "Thank God Keir Starmer finally stood up and said, enough's enough. And he mustn't be allowed to get away with these scurrilous attacks."The Dundee native, who spends time in New York, voluntarily raised concerns about "the country he loves" during an interview about his career."It's terrible what's happening here. It's absolutely dreadful," Cox said. "We're dealing with somebody who is so inconsistent, he doesn't even know what he's doing. He does one thing and does another. So in a sense, I think time will tell. Time will show that this can't go on."Cox said Trump's outlook is "not reflective of the America" he has lived in for decades."I love America. I've always loved America. I mean, as a wee boy, I always wanted to be American," he said. "One of the fundamental principles in America, and it's a principle that's not being acknowledged now, is egalitarianism. This was an egalitarian country and that should be an egalitarian country again. But unfortunately, the present administration doesn't allow it to be egalitarian. And that to me is a great tragedy."Cox also criticized Republican efforts to reduce funding for public broadcasting."PBS, public broadcasting, in this country is second to none," he said. "And what they've done over the years is absolutely tremendous. And his (Trump) abuse of that is despicable...absolutely despicable and shouldn't be allowed to happen."Cox's career spans four decades and includes two BAFTA awards, a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe and two Laurence Olivier Awards. His credits include Succession, Deadwood, Nuremberg, Manhunter, The Rookie, and Troy.The St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles, Southern California's oldest Scottish-American cultural organization, is celebrating its 96th year. The first Burns Supper in 1930 was attended by Frank Lloyd, the first Scotsman to receive an Oscar, along with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Charlie Chaplin at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.
