A video of President Donald Trump appearing to praise Sylvester Stallone for distancing himself from “woke” culture has gone viral online. But that seems misguided, since the person Donald Trump is actually praising is former Marvel executive Isaac Perlmutter. The community note says, “President-elect Trump is not talking about Sylvester Stallone. “He is talking about Isaac Perlmutter, former chairman of Disney’s Marvel Entertainment, who is standing to Stallone’s left. Matter was a major Disney shareholder but was fired in 2023.
The story behind Perlmutter and Disney
The intended reference was to former Marvel chairman Isaac Perlmutter, who was fired by Disney in 2023. Perlmutter had clashed with Disney CEO Bob Iger over Disney’s business strategy. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Perlmutter said, “I am focused on return on investment, so the fundamental business differences between my views and Disney’s leadership were the reason for my termination.” There is no doubt that this is the reason.”
Perlmutter was known for his frugal management style and was critical of Disney’s creative and financial decisions. His departure marked the end of his 20-year influence over Marvel’s business.
Stallone and Disney: misplaced praise
Mr. Stallone remains unaffiliated with Disney and its corporate disputes, although Mr. Trump seems to confuse the two men. Stallone, known primarily for his roles in iconic films such as “Rocky” and “Rambo,” has not publicly commented on Disney’s cultural direction. Trump’s remarks, while inaccurate, underscore his continued criticism of Disney, a frequent target of his campaign against “woke culture.” But Trump fans often go out of their way to project Donald Trump as Rocky Balboa, the iconic character played by Stallone.
