Hollywood star George Clooney is rejecting claims that he contributed to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 election loss. Clooney says Democrats are unfairly making him a “scapegoat” for his efforts to push for a stronger ticket after expressing doubts about President Joe Biden’s re-election chances.

Clooney’s op-ed in The New York Times called for the Democratic Party to consider alternatives to Biden but did not explicitly endorse Kamala Harris. However, Democrats ultimately replaced Biden with Harris, a move some now argue contributed to the party’s defeat against President Donald Trump.

According to sources cited by the Daily Mail, Clooney feels the backlash is unjustified. “He thinks it is completely unfair to try and make him a scapegoat for her loss,” one source said. Clooney is reportedly stepping back from politics, feeling disheartened by the criticism.

The op-ed followed a Hollywood fundraiser hosted by Clooney that raised $30 million for Biden’s re-election campaign. Reports suggest that former President Barack Obama was aware of Clooney’s plans to write the piece but did not discourage him from doing so.

Democratic insiders remain divided over the loss. While some blame Clooney’s criticism of Biden for weakening the party’s position, others argue the decision to back Harris was the real mistake. Clooney believes the party acted prematurely in removing Biden from the ticket.

The fallout from Harris’ loss has exposed deep divisions within the Democratic Party. Clooney’s defenders argue that his intentions were to strengthen the party, not harm it, as Democrats continue to search for answers following their defeat.