Renowned actor Robert De Niro didn't hold back his disdain for former President Donald Trump during a news conference at the Cannes Film Festival.
De Niro, who has consistently expressed his strong disapproval of Trump in the past, took the opportunity to slam him once again while promoting his latest film, Killers Of The Flower Moon, directed by frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese.
De Niro began his critique of Trump without explicitly mentioning his name, describing him as "stupid." However, as the conference progressed, he intensified his criticism, specifically targeting Trump's bid for the Republican Party's presidential nomination in 2024.
You can hear what De Niro said in the video below.
The actor's initial remarks came when he discussed his character in the film, William Hale, a cattle rancher responsible for the Osage Nation murders in the 1920s, driven by the discovery of oil deposits on the land. De Niro admitted to not fully comprehending his character, but highlighted the duality of Hale's personality—his sincerity and his betrayal.
De Niro drew a parallel between Hale's actions and what he perceives as the "banality of evil" present in society today, making it clear that he was alluding to Trump without explicitly mentioning his name.
The actor stated:
"It's the banality of evil. It's the thing we have to watch out for. And we see it today, of course. We all know who I'm going to talk about. But I won't say the name."
De Niro further emphasized his criticism, declaring:
"Because that guy is stupid. Imagine if you're smart. Even Hale was smart in many ways."
The actor's words left no doubt about his low opinion of Trump, highlighting what he perceives as the former president's lack of intelligence.
Many concurred with the actor's assessment.
De Niro's outspoken criticism of Trump has been a consistent feature in his public appearances.
While some may argue that actors should refrain from expressing strong political opinions, De Niro has not shied away from using his platform to condemn what he sees as detrimental to society.
During Trump's presidency, DeNiro said America was “being run by a madman who wouldn’t recognize the truth if it came inside a bucket of his beloved Colonel Sanders Fried Chicken.”
And during the 2016 presidential campaign, De Niro referred to Trump as "blatantly stupid" and went to describe him as "a mutt who doesn’t know what he’s talking about, doesn’t do his homework, doesn’t care, thinks he’s gaming society, doesn’t pay his taxes.”
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