Jane Fonda says she sometimes lies awake and imagines talking with Donald Trump, suggesting the president’s behavior reflects deeper wounds. In a wide-ranging podcast interview, the 88-year-old actress and activist also tied her concerns about Trump to broader political risks facing the United States. Her remarks come as she continues decades of public commentary on politics and activism.
In an interview with Vox Media’s Kara Swisher, Fonda said she tries to understand what motivates Trump, whom she described in psychological terms rather than strictly political ones. “I would try to touch his heart. It’s important to understand what he does and what he says. The behavior is the language of the traumatized,” she said.
Fonda noted that Trump once “really liked and admired” her ex-husband, media mogul Ted Turner, and said she saw similarities in how both men reacted to early life experiences with their fathers. While she expressed empathy for what she called “the wounded person,” she was not optimistic that she would be able to reach Number 47.
Jane Fonda on the Trump Administration’s arrest of journalist Don Lemon: “They arrested the wrong Don.”
RETWEET if you stand with @JaneFonda! pic.twitter.com/sKrn1JJ2fi
— Protect Kamala Harris ✊ (@DisavowTrump20) January 31, 2026
She added, “I don’t think I’d succeed” in changing Trump’s mind.
The actress has been outspoken about Trump and his policies for years. At the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Awards, she delivered a politically charged speech that tied empathy to resistance, saying “‘woke’ just means you give a damn about other people” and urging listeners to build broad coalitions.
Fonda’s recent remarks also extended beyond Trump’s personality to what she sees as threats to democratic processes. She warned that Trump was already indicating plans to influence the midterm elections and spoke about the importance of organizing in local communities to defend democratic values.
Empathy is not weak or “woke.” And, by the way, “woke” just means you give a damn about other people.”
—Jane Fonda accepting her SAG Lifetime Achievement Award pic.twitter.com/HMZcHzfR0J
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) February 24, 2025
Part of that organizing, she said, involves returning to grassroots movements. Fonda cited New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s efforts as an example of effective community engagement. Mamdani was able to effectively reach the people by employing these methods. The octogenarian also mentioned the Committee for the First Amendment, a free speech group originally created in the McCarthy era, which she helped revive in 2025 with support from more than 550 public figures.
Fonda’s comments about Trump’s behavior are rooted in past reflections. In a 2018 interview about The Cut, she said that what she called “bad behavior” could be seen as “the language of the wounded,” suggesting that understanding someone’s early life experiences might explain — but not excuse — their actions.
The Oscar-winning actress has also linked her political activism to other issues, including climate change and civic engagement. She has previously said that Americans must choose their future carefully and that anger can be directed into activism, including climate efforts and electoral engagement.
emilia perez this, wicked that; who cares about any of it when jane fonda is receiving the sag lifetime achievement award??? pic.twitter.com/AM1nd2muCJ
— 🥀anna🥀 (@keithsrocknroll) February 24, 2025
In interviews and speeches, Fonda has maintained that empathy and solidarity are central to her approach. At the SAG Awards, she was a uniting figure as she spoke about the role of empathy in storytelling and resistance, urging people to listen to one another across divides.
While Fonda’s comments about Trump’s psychology are personal and speculative, they reflect her long history of mixing cultural commentary with political advocacy. She continues to use public platforms to encourage civic involvement and what she describes as safeguarding democratic rights.
