Full Breakdown
White House Revives Decades-Old Rumor in Smear Against Richard Gere
7/22/2026, 8:34:33 PM
Core Event
During a recent episode of the podcast *Inside Trump’s Head*, host Joanna Coles and Trump biographer Michael Wolff discussed a White House effort to discredit actor Richard Gere. According to reporting cited by the hosts, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted on X (formerly Twitter) a rumor from the 1990s linking Gere to a gerbil, a claim that had long been dismissed. The post followed Gere’s public criticism of recent cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Background & Context
Richard Gere, an Academy-Award-winning actor, voiced opposition to the Trump administration’s reduction of USAID funding, prompting a response from the White House. The gerbil rumor, originally circulated in the early 1990s, resurfaced in Cheung’s X message despite being “long since” debunked. Wolff described the episode as “wild jealousy” rooted in a personal grudge, suggesting that the president’s displeasure with Gere motivated the revival of the rumor.
Key Figures
- Michael Wolff – author of multiple Trump biographies, commentator on the podcast.
- Joanna Coles – host of *Inside Trump’s Head*, former media executive.
- Steven Cheung – White House Communications Director who posted the gerbil claim on X.
- Donald Trump – President of the United States, alleged source of the smear motivation.
- Richard Gere – Actor and activist, critic of USAID budget cuts.
Official Statements & Responses
Wolff asserted that the president was “mad at Richard Gere,” attributing the smear to personal jealousy over Gere’s greater success in Hollywood and his marriage to supermodel Cindy Crawford. Cheung’s X post, while not quoted verbatim, is presented as the vehicle for re-introducing the outdated rumor.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The president is mad at Richard Gere,” — Michael Wolff
