Donald Trump went after Debra Messing on Sunday after the Will & Grace actress said that the list of donors attending a Beverly Hills fundraiser for Trump’s 2020 re-election bid should be made public.
Trump, who frequently responds to those who criticize him with attacks of his own, tweeted about Messing, saying that she thanked him at one time for helping to boost ratings on her show.
“I have not forgotten that when it was announced that I was going to do The Apprentice, and when it then became a big hit, helping NBC’s failed lineup greatly, @DebraMessing came up to me at an Upfront & profusely thanked me, even calling me ‘Sir.’ How times have changed!” he tweeted.
Messing has been a vocal critic of Trump, and has frequently posted links to stories about what she considers his failures and challenges as president. In this particular instance, it seems to have been a tweet posted by Messing. In it, she called for releasing the list of attendees at an upcoming fundraiser set in Beverly Hills during the week of the Emmy Awards. The message included a link to a story by the Hollywood Reporter about the upcoming event.
Reportedly, the event, whose location hasn’t been disclosed, will be held September 17 and tickets will cost up to $100,000 per couple.
“Hey, @THR, kindly report on everyone attending this event, so the rest of us can be clear about who we don’t wanna work with. Thx,” Eric McCormack, Messing’s Will & Grace co-star, wrote in a tweet .
Critics responded to the posts, saying that Messing and McCormack were essentially calling for a Hollywood blacklist, with some likening the call for a published list to the behavior of Joe McCarthy in Hollywood in the ’50s. They also said that it seems as though the pair want to investigate Trump supporters.
“Translation: ‘Only those with whom I share the same politics are worthy of working in my field,’” tweeted one follower.
Trump has been critical of Hollywood in recent months, calling them “racist” and “dangerous” to the country. At the same time, he has been courting Hollywood money, with the fundraiser being one of the most high-profile upcoming events. In April, he held a similar event in the area for 200 donors.
The fundraiser will be hosted by Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, RNC co-chairman Tommy Hicks Jr., Trump Victory finance chairman Todd Ricketts, and campaign manager Brad Parscale.
Tickets start at $1,000 and go up from there. Following the event, Trump will head to San Diego for another campaign event.
