Canada’s national broadcaster has riled Donald Trump’s conservative base by airing Christmas movie favourite Home Alone 2 without a scene involving the president.
The Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) says it removed Trump’s brief cameo – and eight minutes of the film in total – in 2014 to make room for commercials.
Trump, a prominent media figure at the time, appeared in the 1992 film when Macauley Culkin’s character, Kevin, was separated from his parents and found himself in New York’s Plaza Hotel. Trump, one of New York’s most prominent businessmen at the time, appears on screen for a few seconds, telling Kevin the hotel lobby is “down the hall and to the left”.
The film aired without Trump’s cameo on CBC earlier this month, but the edit was later picked up by right-wing news outlets, sparking fury among the president’s supporters.
That included Donald Jr, who on Friday shared a link to a news article suggesting the edit was an example of “virulent left wing media bias”. He echoed the article he was sharing, calling it “pathetic”.
Charlie Kirk, of the conservative organisation Turning Point USA, claimed the scene was cut “because it humanizes a man the left loves to dehumanize”.
The president himself then weighed in on Twitter, linking the edit to the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
“I guess Justin T doesn’t much like my making him pay up on NATO or Trade!” he said, adding that the movie would “never be the same again (just kidding)!”
The movie will never be the same! (just kidding) https://t.co/FogquK1ei7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2019
In a news story posted on the broadcaster’s website, CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson said: “As is often the case with feature films adapted for television, Home Alone 2 was edited for time.
“The scene with Donald Trump was one of several that were cut from the movie as none of them were integral to the plot. These edits were done in 2014, when we first acquired the film and before Mr Trump was elected president.”
On Christmas Eve, apparently before he was aware of the edited broadcast, Trump told US service members it was a “very big hit” and that it was an honour to be in the film.
“A lot of people mention it every year, especially around Christmas,” he said. “They say, ‘I just saw you,’ especially young kids. They say, ‘I just saw you on the movie.’”
