Richard Dreyfuss Warns America “Can’t Afford” Another Trump-Style Presidency

Richard Dreyfuss has shared strong concerns about the direction of the United States, saying the country “can’t afford” to have a Donald Trump–type figure in the White House because of the lasting damage it does to American society.

The Oscar-winning actor, best known for playing oceanographer Matt Hooper in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic Jaws, spoke candidly about politics, education and civic responsibility during an appearance on The Daily Jaws podcast.

Now 78, Dreyfuss heads The Dreyfuss Civics Initiative, a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on bringing civics education back into American public schools. The goal, he says, is to help young people understand their rights, responsibilities and role in a democracy.

According to Dreyfuss, one of the biggest problems facing the country today is a lack of civic education. He believes Americans are not being taught how to participate meaningfully in democracy, which has led to disengagement and poor leadership choices.

“If you’re not taught how to be a civic animal, then you don’t learn it,” he explained. “And if you don’t learn it, you can’t really learn how to be an American with certain values.”

Dreyfuss warned that when citizens grow up without understanding those values, they are left with what he called an “empty experience” of democracy — something he says the nation cannot afford.

Without directly attacking political parties, Dreyfuss made it clear that he sees Donald Trump as a symbol of what happens when civic responsibility breaks down. “We can’t afford to have a Donald Trump type person in the presidency,” he said, adding that America should never waste the opportunities it offers ordinary people.

He also criticized what he sees as growing complacency among citizens. “We’ve become lazy, we’ve become silly,” Dreyfuss said, urging Americans to speak up, take risks, and actively defend democratic values instead of sitting on the sidelines.

For Dreyfuss, the solution starts in classrooms. By teaching civics early and seriously, he believes the country can reconnect with the values that once defined it — and prevent further erosion of its democracy.

His message is clear: democracy only works when citizens are informed, engaged, and willing to stand up for it.