Dwayne Johnson has amassed a large following and grown to be a powerful force in a society where celebrity endorsements can influence public opinion. Thus, it is safe to say that The Rock, one of Hollywood’s finest, has won over millions of fans with his alluring persona and compelling backstory. This global icon, whose estimated net worth is $800 million, has unparalleled power to shape public opinion. How?
Well, in November, the Red Notice actor met with a number of US senators in Washington, D.C., to talk about his efforts to support military recruitment. Among the senators present at the meeting were Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Todd Young (R-IN), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ). Dany Garcia, the chairwoman of the XFL and Johnson’s business partner was also in attendance.
Dwayne Johnson Discussed Military Recruiting With US Senators
Making the military seem appealing to the general public, especially the younger generation, is one of the difficulties the service faces in hiring new members. According to NBC News, after being seen mingling with lawmakers in November on Capitol Hill, Dwayne Johnson, who has a net worth of $800 million, caused a stir in Washington, D.C.
The Black Adam star created a commotion when he met with senators to talk about military recruiting. During his visit to Washington, he was photographed with the US Capitol Police and had a sit-down with senators, including Jon Tester. Senators Lindsey Graham, Tammy Duckworth, Susan Collins, Todd Young, Jon Tester, and Mark Kell were present at the meeting.
Johnson was “going to advocate for people to join the military over a period of time”, according to Tester, who organized the sit-down, as reported by NBC News. The latter even posted the following on Twitter:
From pickin’ rock on the farm to meeting with the big guy himself. I was glad to host @TheRock today to talk about how we can better address military recruitment issues. pic.twitter.com/4baXvGsdz6
— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) November 15, 2023
Also, in the meantime, the US Capitol Police tweeted:
We talked to a potential new recruit today… and we think he will pass the fitness test.#JoinUSCapitolPolice pic.twitter.com/KSLlEyzmqo
— The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) November 15, 2023
Johnson, 51, aimed to encourage Americans to see the military as a venue that celebrates diversity, regardless of one’s background, by stressing the military’s dedication to the opportunities it presents to people from all walks of life.
Dwayne Johnson Was Invited to Run for President Last Year by Several Parties?
While Dwayne Johnson has long entertained the notion of running for president, he was unprepared for the prospect of winning when multiple parties asked him to consider running last year. In the first episode of his podcast, What Now? with Trevor Noah (via PEOPLE), Trevor Noah questioned the Red One actor about a widely publicized 2021 poll that found 46% of American adults would support him as a presidential candidate. The host, 39, said:
“I remember seeing that. I was like, Damn. I mean, it either means you are the paragon of what people would hope a leader would be…We need somebody who’s going to come in here and lay the smack down on everybody.”
Having been questioned about the poll on multiple occasions, Johnson told Noah he was “blown away” to learn how excited some people were about the idea of him going into politics. After that, the Black Adam went on to reveal that in late 2022,
“I got a visit from the parties. They asked me if I was going to run and if I could run — and it was a big deal..”
Johnson did not say which political parties had contacted him or how many, but he did say that they had all cited the 2021 poll as proof of his suitability as a candidate.
“They also brought up their own deep-dive research and data that would prove, should I ever decide to go down that road, that I would be a real contender. It was all very surreal because that’s never been my goal. My goal has never been to be in politics. And in fact, there’s a lot about politics that I hate.”
The popularity of Johnson touches millions of people worldwide, reaching far beyond the confines of Hollywood. After all, when The Rock speaks, people do listen.
On the work front, he will next be seen in Red One, an upcoming action-adventure Christmas film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Chris Morgan. Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Nick Kroll, Kiernan Shipka, and Mary Elizabeth Ellis also feature in the film.
