Michael Moore denies 'snipers were cowards' remark was about Clint Eastwood's new film by posting what he really thinks

The anti-gun campaigner is more of a fan of American Sniper than his tweet would lead the media to believe, he claims

Moore suggested Mr Trump was likely to be impeached and suggested he would break the law during his first term as President

Anti-gun campaigner Michael Moore sparked controversy when he tweeted, “We were taught snipers were cowards,” just in time for the US cinema release of Clint Eastwood’s new film, American Sniper.

“Will shoot u in the back,” he continued. “Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse [sic].“

The filmmaker’s posts inspired a wealth of media commentary on the Oscar-nominated film, which sees Bradley Cooper take on the role of one of the deadliest snipers in US history.

He has since insisted that his brief remarks have been taken out of context and that he had not passed any judgement in relation to American Sniper at all.

Instead, he posted what he really thought of the movie in a lengthy statement on Facebook.

“If [the media] wanted to know my opinion of American Sniper (and I have one), why not ask me? So here's what I think about American Sniper: Awesome performance from Bradley Cooper. One of the best of the year. Great editing. Costumes, hair, makeup superb! Oh... and too bad Clint gets Vietnam and Iraq confused in his storytelling.

“And that he has his characters calling Iraqis 'savages' throughout the film. But there is also anti-war sentiment expressed in the movie. And there's a touching ending as the main character is remembered after being gunned down by a fellow American vet with PTSD who was given a gun at a gun range back home in Texas - and then used it to kill the man who called himself the American Sniper.

“Also, best movie trailer and TV ads of the year. Most of us were taught the story of Jesse James and that the scoundrel wasn't James (who was a criminal who killed people) but rather the sniper who shot him in the back.

“I think most Americans don't think snipers are heroes. Hopefully not on this weekend when we remember that man [Dr Martin Luther King Jr] in Memphis, Tennessee, who was killed by a sniper's bullet.”

Then again on Twitter:

Far more scathing was Seth Rogen’s critique of the film, which he likened to a “Nazi propaganda”.

Not that any of their comments appear to have harmed its commercial success. American Sniper led the box office in the US over the weekend.