Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore appeared distressed with Monday night's debate outcome, declaring Republican nominee Donald Trump the victor to his nearly 3 million Twitter followers.

Moore, who is known for his films criticizing former President George W. Bush and U.S. gun policies, warned Democrats that Trump is well on his way to defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

The debate, held at Hofstra University, was the first time Trump and Clinton had faced off in the general election. The candidates will debate two more times before U.S. voters make their choice.

During the Democratic primaries, Moore endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders but threw his support behind Clinton after she emerged as the party's nominee. Moore has predicted in the past that Trump stands a good chance of winning the White House in November.

He told HBO's Bill Maher in July that he thought Trump would win, which caused the show's crowd to boo. But Maher signaled that Moore's public warning may be a strategy to scare Democrats into action.

"Boo if you want, I am glad you’re saying it," Maher said. "Everybody should say it. The enemy is complacency. He certainly could win."

For Moore's part, his tweets Monday night certainly seemed aimed at motivating people to work to stop Trump.

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