The White House has described Star Wars actor Mark Hamill as 'a sick individual' after he shared an AI-generated image depicting former President Donald Trump lying in a shallow grave with the words 'If Only' superimposed. Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the iconic sci-fi franchise and is a vocal critic of Trump, quickly deleted the post from his Bluesky account on Thursday and issued an apology.
Hamill's Apology and Clarification
In a follow-up message, Hamill clarified that he was not advocating for Trump's death. 'Actually, I was wishing him the opposite of dead, but apologize if you found the image inappropriate,' he wrote. He added that Trump 'should live long enough to be held accountable for his crimes.'
White House Response
The White House's Rapid Response 47 account on X seized on the original post, which showed Trump beneath a gravestone inscribed with 'Donald J Trump, 1946-2024.' The post read: 'Mark Hamill is one sick individual. These Radical Left lunatics just can't help themselves. This kind of rhetoric is exactly what has inspired three assassination attempts in two years against our President.'
Context of Political Violence
Violence has become increasingly common across the political spectrum. Last month, a gunman stormed the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC in an apparent attempt to reach Trump. In September 2024, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an appearance at a Utah university. Other incidents include a hammer attack on the husband of former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022, and the killing of Democratic state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in Minnesota last year.
Trump himself has often been accused of inciting violence. The Atlantic documented 40 occasions in 2024 where the president praised or encouraged physical aggression, including suggesting training guns on the face of Republican former congresswoman Liz Cheney.
Hamill's Ongoing Feud with Trump
Hamill continued to provoke Trump on Monday by appearing with former President Barack Obama in a short YouTube video promoting the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The video featured a caption styled after Star Wars opening titles: 'Hope has a new home.' Hamill and Obama discussed how the center would be 'a force for change.'
