MOVIE NEWS – One of the most talked-about moments in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is Donald Trump’s brief cameo, which has since become as notorious as the former businessman himself, who was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States earlier this year. Director Chris Columbus now says he wishes the scene had never happened, calling it a “curse” he’d happily erase from the film.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Columbus said he deeply regrets including Trump’s seven-second appearance. “I wish it had never happened,” he admitted, adding, “I can’t cut it now.” He then joked about Trump’s immigration policies: “If I did, I’d probably be deported. They’d say I’m un-American and send me back to Italy or something.”

Columbus, who has Italian and Czech ancestry and was born in Pennsylvania, recalled that the cameo was never part of the original plan. In fact, back in 1992, the crew debated removing the scene altogether. But when audiences at early screenings responded with laughter and applause, the decision was made to leave it in. “They cheered and thought it was hilarious,” Columbus said. “I thought I knew comedy, but clearly I don’t, because I never imagined that would be seen as funny. And now it’s a burden I wish I could undo.”

The origin of Trump’s appearance has long been debated. According to Columbus, when seeking permission to film at the Plaza Hotel — which Trump owned at the time — the future president insisted on being in the movie before giving his approval. The production team agreed, needing the location badly enough to compromise.

Trump later offered a contradictory version of events. In a 2023 Truth Social post, he claimed: “I was begged to be in the film. I was busy and didn’t want to do it. They were polite but insistent. I eventually agreed, and now Columbus is spreading lies about how I forced my way in.”

In 2025, Columbus responded again, rejecting Trump’s claims outright: “Why would I ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie?” he asked. “It makes no sense. We just wanted the Plaza Hotel, and we had to make that trade.”

Given Trump’s reputation for reshaping facts to suit his own narratives, Columbus’ account carries more weight for many. Either way, the cameo isn’t going anywhere soon — much to the director’s dismay. Home Alone 2 is currently available to stream on Disney+ for anyone wanting to revisit that now-infamous scene.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle