Actor Jason Bateman is drawing fire from several Fox News personalities after making pointed comments about supporters of former President Donald Trump. Bateman, best known for his role in Ozark, appeared on The Best People with Nicolle Wallace in June 2025, where he questioned how tens of millions of Americans still back Trump despite his controversial record.
“I really am fascinated,” Bateman said during the podcast. “I can’t stop watching. And to think that 80-some million people would vote for him again tomorrow—it’s something I just can’t wrap my head around.”
He described Trump voters as being “insulated from the facts and common sense,” comments that quickly went viral and triggered strong responses from conservative media figures.
Fox News Fires Back
Fox News host Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, known as Kennedy, took a swipe at Bateman on-air.
“Jason, you’re an actor. Thank you so much, dear—now go ahead and shut your pretty mouth until someone writes you a script,” she said, calling his remarks out of touch.
Greg Gutfeld, another prominent Fox figure, criticized Bateman for dismissing Trump supporters and suggested he take notes from his sister, actress and producer Justine Bateman, who has expressed support for Trump.
“Talk to your sister—she gets it,” Gutfeld said on The Five. “She understands real people, real voters. Jason lives in a bubble.”
Gutfeld didn’t stop there, labeling the actor a “moron” and suggesting his sister could “straighten him out in 90 minutes.”
Former White House press secretary Dana Perino also joined in, turning Bateman’s “insulated” criticism back on the Biden administration.
“Who was the most insulated last year? It was Joe Biden,” she said. “You don’t understand 80 million Trump voters? You’re the insulated one.”
“We Don’t Care What You Think”
Paul Mauro, a guest on Fox News, went further, lashing out at Hollywood celebrities for weighing in on politics.
“We don’t care what you think. Perform. Entertain us,” he said. “You read lines. You pretend to be someone else. That’s it. You won the genetic lottery—don’t lecture the rest of us.”
When Perino responded that she also reads from a teleprompter in her work, Mauro dismissed the comment: “We don’t care. Move on.”
Bateman Clarifies: “I Want to Understand”
Despite the backlash, Bateman emphasized that his criticism wasn’t meant to dehumanize Trump voters. Instead, he said he was trying to make sense of a political phenomenon that continues to defy his expectations.
“I’m not trying to ignore or dismiss anyone. We all share this country,” Bateman said. “I want to understand why people feel so left out, so disillusioned.”
He acknowledged that many Americans have legitimate frustrations with the system, but expressed concern over what he called a “revenge vote” mentality.
“There are folks supporting Trump just to stick it to the left. But what happens when gas prices rise or food costs keep climbing?” he asked. “I think the people who are least prepared to deal with the consequences of Trump policies are often the ones who support him most. And that’s tragic.”
Bateman concluded by saying his observations come from a place of curiosity, not condescension—but the political firestorm shows no signs of cooling down.
