Filmmaker Chris Columbus has sparked a heated debate online among movie fans and political supporters alike. The director of “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” is making headlines after he talked about how he never really wanted President Donald Trump in his holiday classic.
Columbus even as far as to describe the former real estate mogul’s seven-second cameo as “a curse” and “an albatross” that he desperately wishes could be removed from the film.
The brief scene features young Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister encountering Trump at the Plaza Hotel, which the real estate mogul owned at the time. Despite its brevity, the cameo has become increasingly divisive following Trump’s splash in government with his MAGA movement and retaliatory politics.
“I can’t cut it,” Columbus lamented in an April 14 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, adding, “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.”
This isn’t the first time Columbus has addressed the controversial cameo.
In a 2020 interview with Business Insider, the filmmaker revealed that Trump essentially forced his way into the film, claiming that “The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.”
According to Columbus, they ultimately included Trump after test audiences cheered during his appearance.
The 1992 blockbuster, which grossed $359 million at the box office, is a staple holiday film for many families.
The controversy gained momentum in 2019 when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation removed Trump’s scene during re-airings, although the network maintained the edit was simply to make room for commercials.
When Variety reported on Columbus’ recent comments, the publication’s Facebook post erupted with mixed reactions.
One commenter dismissed the scene’s importance, writing, “Eh…. Nobody will miss that teeny weeny part he was in. I heard he bullied himself into a scene anyway. With all this AI crap, You can easily replace him with someone else or cut just his part. Snip snip lol.”
Another supporter of removal stated simply, “That would be great. Worst part of the movie.”
Trump supporters defended keeping the cameo intact and trashed the director. “Awww sweetie, cancel culture is so passe. Donald Trump is your President now and he is busy canceling current things that matter. Like illegals, criminals, Democrat judges and terrorists.”
One argued, “That is silly! It’s a historical moment in the film and Donald J. Trump has secured a vital place in history. Regardless if you love him or not, he has earned credits in the history books for centuries to come as a Realtor, Entrepreneur, Entertainer and Twice President of the United States. It will be a great legacy for the film for future generations to see.”
Another passionate fan said, “No you fee cees, he made a deal and it worked out well for you. Meanwhile, another fan added, “The unhinged TDS crowd are the real villains in today’s society. Donald Trump is and will always be a true American hero.”
One pragmatic viewer suggested a compromise: “Release two editions? One that cuts him out and the other with him. On two disc’s. New York airs it like he is not in it.”
Trump himself responded in December 2023, taking to Truth Social to deny bullying his way into the film.
“They rented the Plaza Hotel in New York, which I owned at the time. I was very busy and didn’t want to do it. They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history!” he wrote.
Trump focusing on the big issies like the director of Home Alone 2 saying mean things about him. pic.twitter.com/thu2Nh2DYp
— Drew Savicki (@DrewSav) December 27, 2023
Trump characterized Columbus’ account as “fake news” and questioned why the director didn’t remove him during editing if he was truly opposed to the cameo.
This pattern of Trump leveraging properties for film appearances was corroborated by Matt Damon in a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Damon said Trump’s standard practice was requiring cameos in exchange for filming permission, though directors typically cut these scenes later — something that didn’t happen with “Home Alone 2.”
As the debate continues, this tiny scene in a beloved holiday classic shows how even nostalgic entertainment has become entangled in America’s complex political landscape.
