Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) faces mounting criticism and intensifying 2028 presidential speculation after being photographed shirtless aboard Hollywood megastar George Clooney’s luxury yacht on Italy’s Lake Como over Labor Day weekend.
The Daily Mail published images on Monday showing Moore lounging on the rear deck of Clooney’s yacht, alongside his wife, Maryland first lady Dawn Moore. The pair appeared relaxed as they soaked up the sun near Clooney’s villa in Laglio, where they are reportedly staying.
Damning photos burn top Democrat Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s 2028 plans to the ground as he’s busted half-naked on kingmaker George Clooney’s luxury yacht in ITALY while his ‘hellhole’ state faces crime apocalypse https://t.co/lkQk7yhjo1 pic.twitter.com/kjYYZpVYVM
— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) September 2, 2025
While Clooney was not seen on the yacht at the time, the sighting has sparked political controversy in the United States, where critics say Moore’s high-profile foreign vacation is tone-deaf amid rising crime in Maryland, particularly in Baltimore.
In a statement to local news outlets, Moore’s senior adviser and communications director, David Turner, said: “The Governor paid for a trip to celebrate his wife’s 50th birthday.”
The statement confirmed the Moores were staying at Clooney’s Italian estate and were accompanied by Maryland State Police officers, who provide security on all official and personal trips.
A White House spokeswoman slammed the trip in a pointed statement to Spotlight on Maryland, saying: “While Maryland residents try to escape dangerous criminals in their communities, Gov. Wes Moore is attempting to escape accountability for the out-of-control crime in his state by fleeing to Italy for a luxury getaway with Democrat elites.”
“Gov. Moore needs to get his priorities straight — instead of taking yacht vacations or fantasizing about his 2028 presidential bid, he needs to make Maryland safe again,” the statement continued.
The release of the vacation photos sparked immediate outrage on social media, with critics slamming Moore for indulging in a luxury getaway while Maryland, and particularly Baltimore, grapples with rampant crime and economic struggles.
One viral post read: “HANGING OUT WITH GEORGE ON VACAY: @GovWesMoore traded Annapolis for Lake Como, sipping wine with Clooney while his tax and fee hikes crush Marylanders. Who needs being governor when you’ve got George!”
HANGING OUT WITH GEORGE ON VACAY: @GovWesMoore traded Annapolis for Lake Como, sipping wine with Clooney while his tax and fee hikes crush Marylanders. Who needs being governor when you’ve got George! pic.twitter.com/OEs93PjkCn
— No Moore (@NoMooreMD) September 2, 2025
Maryland Delegate Mark Fisher (R-Calvert) also weighed in on X: “‘The Other Wes Moore’ — While Baltimoreans are terrified to leave their homes due to unsafe streets, @GovWesMoore is living the high life on Lake Como, Italy with George Clooney.”
Another user posted: “Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and his wife are seeking refuge in the comforts of a Hollywood actor’s famous Lake Como villa. Catching rays on George Clooney’s yacht…while Baltimore is a hell hole riddled with crime.”
The backlash comes as Moore continues a very public feud with President Donald Trump over crime in Baltimore. Just last month, Trump criticized Moore for inviting him to “walk the streets of Maryland,” calling it a “provocative” move and labeling Baltimore “crime-ridden.”
Over the past few months, Trump has repeatedly threatened to send the National Guard into Baltimore, calling the city “out of control” and accusing Moore of ignoring public safety concerns.
In a July post on Truth Social, Trump blasted the governor, saying: “Governor Wes Moore of Maryland has asked, in a rather nasty and provocative tone, that I ‘walk the streets of Maryland’ with him. I assume he is talking about out-of-control, crime-ridden Baltimore?”
Trump’s comments came after Moore publicly rejected the idea of federal intervention, calling the president’s rhetoric divisive and counterproductive. Moore has argued that local leaders, not Washington, should be trusted to fix Baltimore’s deep-rooted issues.
“The idea that the solution to Baltimore’s challenges is military occupation is as offensive as it is unserious,” Moore said during a press conference in August. “We need investment, not intimidation.”
Clooney, a prominent Democratic megadonor, has been vocal in his praise of Moore as a rising political star. In an interview with CNN earlier this year, the Oscar-winning actor said Moore was “levitating above” other potential Democratic presidential contenders and called him a “proper leader.”
“He’s a proper leader.” George Clooney reveals his choice for the 2028 Democratic presidential nominee: Maryland Governor Wes Moore. pic.twitter.com/j8yiNw0b3V
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 17, 2025
The Hollywood icon’s political influence is well established — and recent. In 2024, Clooney made national headlines when he penned a bombshell New York Times op-ed calling President Joe Biden to step aside from the presidential race. The public plea sent shockwaves through the Democratic establishment and was widely credited with pressuring Biden to withdraw from his reelection campaign.
Clooney’s intervention helped pave the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic front-runner, a shift that dramatically reshaped the party’s strategy just months before the Democratic National Convention.
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Clooney’s Lake Como estate — purchased in 2002 — has long served as a private gathering space for celebrities, diplomats, and political influencers.
Moore has repeatedly denied having any intention of running for president in 2028, but his high-profile appearances — including attendance at the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, often dubbed “billionaire summer camp” — have only fueled speculation.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Moore’s office for comment.
