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| Johnny Depp Flirts With Idea of Trump Assassination, Then Apologizes | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| LONDON — The actor Johnny Depp is the latest American entertainment figure to suggest — however jokingly, ironically or obliquely — the killing of President Trump. | LONDON — The actor Johnny Depp is the latest American entertainment figure to suggest — however jokingly, ironically or obliquely — the killing of President Trump. |
| Speaking on Thursday at the Glastonbury arts festival in southwest England, Mr. Depp asked the audience, “Can you bring Trump here?” | Speaking on Thursday at the Glastonbury arts festival in southwest England, Mr. Depp asked the audience, “Can you bring Trump here?” |
| The remark was met with booing and jeering, and he continued: “You misunderstand completely. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president? I want to clarify: I’m not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it’s been awhile, and maybe it’s time.” | The remark was met with booing and jeering, and he continued: “You misunderstand completely. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president? I want to clarify: I’m not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it’s been awhile, and maybe it’s time.” |
| The words — for which he later he apologized — were being interpreted as an allusion to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth, an actor, in 1865. | |
| Mr. Depp, who was introducing a screening of the 2004 film “The Libertine” — in which he played the womanizing poet John Wilmot, second earl of Rochester — acknowledged that his words would cause a storm. | Mr. Depp, who was introducing a screening of the 2004 film “The Libertine” — in which he played the womanizing poet John Wilmot, second earl of Rochester — acknowledged that his words would cause a storm. |
| “By the way, this is going to be in the press and it’ll be horrible,” he said. “It’s just a question; I’m not insinuating anything.” | “By the way, this is going to be in the press and it’ll be horrible,” he said. “It’s just a question; I’m not insinuating anything.” |
| Mr. Depp’s comments immediately drew rebukes, and on Friday, he apologized in a statement to People magazine. “I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump,” he said. “It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone.” | Mr. Depp’s comments immediately drew rebukes, and on Friday, he apologized in a statement to People magazine. “I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump,” he said. “It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone.” |
| Critics had described the comments as particularly distasteful and dangerous given their timing. A gunman, believed to be upset about Mr. Trump’s election, opened fire last week at members of the Republican congressional baseball team in a Washington suburb. | Critics had described the comments as particularly distasteful and dangerous given their timing. A gunman, believed to be upset about Mr. Trump’s election, opened fire last week at members of the Republican congressional baseball team in a Washington suburb. |
| “Secret Service, we have video evidence of Johnny Depp threatening to assassinate President Trump. Please do something!” an account linked to Tennessee Republicans wrote on Twitter. Others suggested a boycott of Mr. Depp’s films, although supporters countered that the remarks had clearly been made in jest. | “Secret Service, we have video evidence of Johnny Depp threatening to assassinate President Trump. Please do something!” an account linked to Tennessee Republicans wrote on Twitter. Others suggested a boycott of Mr. Depp’s films, although supporters countered that the remarks had clearly been made in jest. |
| Mr. Depp is not the first celebrity to come under fire for making violent allusions toward Mr. Trump, spurring a debate about where to draw the line regarding incitement, political commentary and art when it comes to a president who has shown no reluctance to antagonize opponents. | Mr. Depp is not the first celebrity to come under fire for making violent allusions toward Mr. Trump, spurring a debate about where to draw the line regarding incitement, political commentary and art when it comes to a president who has shown no reluctance to antagonize opponents. |
| The Public Theater in New York recently lost financial support and drew protests over a production of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” in which the assassinated Roman ruler had strawberry blond hair and bore an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Trump. | The Public Theater in New York recently lost financial support and drew protests over a production of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” in which the assassinated Roman ruler had strawberry blond hair and bore an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Trump. |
| In May, the author and comic Kathy Griffin came under fire for having posed with what appeared to be the bloodied and severed head of the president. | In May, the author and comic Kathy Griffin came under fire for having posed with what appeared to be the bloodied and severed head of the president. |
| Mr. Trump said the image had upset his family and, amid outrage across the political spectrum, CNN fired Ms. Griffin from her job as co-host of its New Year’s Eve program. | Mr. Trump said the image had upset his family and, amid outrage across the political spectrum, CNN fired Ms. Griffin from her job as co-host of its New Year’s Eve program. |
| “Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself,” the president wrote on Twitter. “My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” | “Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself,” the president wrote on Twitter. “My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” |
| In January, the singer Madonna, speaking at the Women’s March on Washington, said that she’d “thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House.” | In January, the singer Madonna, speaking at the Women’s March on Washington, said that she’d “thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House.” |
| Mr. Trump himself has come under attack for remarks about physical harm against his political opponents. During the presidential campaign, he mused aloud about supporters of gun rights taking matters into their own hands if Hillary Clinton were to become president and appoint judges who supported tighter gun control regulations. | Mr. Trump himself has come under attack for remarks about physical harm against his political opponents. During the presidential campaign, he mused aloud about supporters of gun rights taking matters into their own hands if Hillary Clinton were to become president and appoint judges who supported tighter gun control regulations. |
| The suggestion, however oblique, provoked strong objections, including from Bernice A. King, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who called Mr. Trump’s words “distasteful, disturbing, dangerous.” | The suggestion, however oblique, provoked strong objections, including from Bernice A. King, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who called Mr. Trump’s words “distasteful, disturbing, dangerous.” |
| Mr. Depp, 54, is known for performances in films like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Edward Scissorhands,” and he has been nominated three times for an Academy Award. He has been in the headlines recently over his divorce from the actress Amber Heard and reports of his financial difficulties. | Mr. Depp, 54, is known for performances in films like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Edward Scissorhands,” and he has been nominated three times for an Academy Award. He has been in the headlines recently over his divorce from the actress Amber Heard and reports of his financial difficulties. |