Home Alone 2 Director Calls Trump Cameo a ‘Curse,’ Reveals Fears of Retaliation Over Deleting Scene
More than 30 years after Home Alone 2: Lost in New York premiered, director Chris Columbus is still answering questions about one particular cameo: Donald Trump’s brief appearance in the Plaza Hotel. In a new interview, Columbus called Trump’s scene “a curse” and opened up about the behind-the-scenes tension and the political minefield he fears he’d enter if he ever decided to remove it.
The scene in question is brief—just a few seconds in the hotel lobby—but it’s become one of the most talked-about moments in the film. A young Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) asks a well-dressed man for directions, and Trump responds with a line before walking away. Since Trump’s rise in politics and his polarizing presidency, fans and critics alike have debated whether the cameo should remain.
Chris Columbus, who directed both Home Alone and its 1992 sequel, said Trump essentially strong-armed his way into the movie. “We wanted to shoot in the Plaza, which he owned at the time,” Columbus explained. “Trump said we could, but only if he was in the movie. We agreed, because we needed the location. It felt like a bribe, honestly.”
Initially, Columbus figured he would cut the cameo if it didn’t work. But during early screenings, audiences reacted with excitement when Trump appeared, so the moment stayed. Still, the director now believes it’s haunted the film. “It’s a curse,” he said. “People don’t talk about Home Alone 2 without bringing it up.”
As for removing the scene now, Columbus said he’s considered it—but fears it could spark severe backlash. “If I cut the scene, I’m genuinely concerned about the threats or retaliation that might come,” he admitted. “We live in a time where people can be extremely volatile over something like this.”
The director’s comments highlight the intense division surrounding Trump’s legacy. While some fans view the cameo as a fun pop culture time capsule, others argue that leaving it in gives undue attention to a man who later became one of the most controversial presidents in U.S. history.
Interestingly, even Macaulay Culkin has weighed in over the years, once responding to a fan who suggested digitally erasing Trump from the scene by simply replying, “Sold.” Some versions of the film broadcast on TV have been edited with Trump’s appearance trimmed, sparking both applause and outrage depending on the audience.
Despite the backlash and internal conflict, Columbus said he doesn’t plan to make any cuts to the original version. “The movie is a product of its time,” he said. “I don’t want to rewrite history. But that doesn’t mean I’m proud of every element in it.”
As the debate over Trump’s cameo continues, Home Alone 2 remains a holiday favorite—but one forever tied to a moment that, for some, feels like a glitch in the film’s otherwise heartwarming nostalgia.
