Clint Eastwood: Donald Trump is on to something

Clint Eastwood has stopped short of endorsing Donald Trump, but in an interview in Esquire magazine he praised the Republican presidential candidate for being “on to something”.

The actor-director hailed Trump as a foe of political correctness and lamented what he called “the kiss-ass generation.”

“Everybody’s walking on eggshells,” said Eastwood, 86. “We see people accusing people of being racist and all kinds of stuff. When I grew up, those things weren’t called racist.”

Eastwood, who spoke at the Republican convention in 2012 — “that silly thing ... talking to the chair” — urged people to “get over it”.

“What Trump is onto is he’s just saying what’s on his mind. And sometimes it’s not so good. And sometimes it’s... I mean, I can understand where he’s coming from, but I don’t always agree with it,” he said.

“I haven’t endorsed anybody. I haven’t talked to Trump. I haven’t talked to anybody. You know, he’s a racist now because he’s talked about this judge. And yeah, it’s a dumb thing to say. I mean, to predicate your opinion on the fact that the guy was born to Mexican parents or something. He’s said a lot of dumb things. So have all of them. Both sides.”

“But everybody—the press and everybody’s going, ‘Oh, well, that’s racist,’ and they’re making a big hoodoo out of it. Just fucking get over it. It’s a sad time in history.”

Eastwood said he wasn’t endorsing anyone for president.

But asked to choose between Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton he said: “I’d have to go for Trump . you know, ‘cause she’s declared that she’s gonna follow in Obama’s footsteps.

“There’s been just too much funny business on both sides of the aisle.”

Continuing to discuss Clinton, the actor said: ‘I mean, it’s a tough voice to listen to for four years. It could be a tough one.’

Eastwood’s film Sully — about Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the airline pilot who became a hero when he safely landed a US Airways plane on the Hudson River in 2009 — opens in September.