While accepting his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 92nd Academy Awards on Sunday, Brad Pitt called out the United States Senate for its decision to allow a no-witness impeachment trial for President Donald Trump.
“Wow. Thank you, this is incredible, really incredible. Thank you to the Academy for this honor of honors. They told me I only have 45 seconds up here, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week,” Pitt said, after receiving his statuette for his performance as Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.” “I’m thinking maybe Quentin [Tarantino] does a movie about it. In the end, the adults do the right thing.”
Last month, the Senate decided in a 51-49 vote not to call witnesses — including former national security adviser John Bolton, among others — for Trump’s impeachment trial. Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine were the only two Republican senators who voted with the Democrats to allow witnesses.
Pitt soon steered his speech back to the personal side, giving a shoutout to his director, Tarantino, who he called an “original” and “one of a kind.”
“The film industry would be a much drier place without you and I love the ethos you gave Cliff Booth,” he continued. “Look for the best in people, expect the worst but look for the best.”
He then turned his speech into a tribute to his co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, who is nominated for Best Actor at this year’s Oscars, saying “I’ll ride on your coattails any day, man. The view’s fantastic.”
Pitt closed by saying, “This is for my kids, who color everything I do. I adore you.”
The 92nd Academy Awards are airing now on ABC.