Johnny Depp makes Donald Trump jokes during Comic-Con appearance as Ebenezer Scrooge

Johnny Depp made an unexpected political joke during his appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, where he remained in character as Ebenezer Scrooge while promoting Paramount Pictures' upcoming adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic story, Ebenezer.

Instead of appearing as himself, Depp took part in Hall H festivities dressed as Scrooge as part of a Victorian-themed presentation.

The event transformed part of the venue into a festive Christmas village, with the actor interacting with the set and other performers while staying in character.

During the performance, Scrooge pulled decorative garlands from a gate, describing them as "poison" and saying they should be kept away from children.

When another performer objected, Depp's character insisted the decorations were on his property before delivering a line that many audience members interpreted as a reference to US President Donald Trump.

He joked that everyone would have to pay taxes because the decorations were there before adding a remark about "putting tariffs on the gate." The comment drew laughter from the Comic-Con audience and quickly attracted attention online.

The joke came amid renewed discussion surrounding tariffs after President Trump recently announced new duties on a range of Canadian imports.

Depp has commented on Trump in the past. In 2016, while promoting Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie, he referred to the president as a "brat".

The following year, the actor apologised after making controversial remarks about Trump during an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival.