Actors Robert De Niro and Mark Ruffalo gave their most brutal criticism of President Donald Trump yet during a "Hands Off Our Vote" event on Saturday in New York City, warning attendees that Trump and his administration are trying to demoralize people and cast doubt on the electoral process at a time when voting in full force is more important than ever before.
Both actors are prominent critics of the president and De Niro, a film legend for decades, is known for his blunt and profanity-laden statements; here he not only referred to Trump as a "coward" but also "f**king stupid."
De Niro said:
“The Trump administration knows that their policies are not only crazy and cruel, they’re increasingly unpopular. They can see it. They’re not stupid. Well, okay. They are very f**king stupid. I mean, really stupid. They’re stupider than I ever thought."
“But they recognize what they’re doing is turning away people. They can’t get support from the voters. So, what do they do? They try to take our votes away. Are you kidding me?”
“Let me put it another way. Keep your f**king hands off our vote.”
Leading the crowd in a call-and-response, De Niro continued:
“When the weak and spineless Republicans in the House and Senate won’t protect our rights, what do we say to them? Keep your f**king hands off our votes. When the Supreme Court rubber stamps voter suppression, what do we say to them? Keep your f**king hands off our vote."
"When Trump’s Department of Justice threatens election officials, demands voter roles, and seizes ballots, what do we say to them? Keep your f**king hands off our vote. When masked and armed ICE thugs stalk our polling places, what do we say to them? Keep your f**king hands off our vote."
"And when that coward, that f**king piece of shit Donald Trump tries to take our voice and power away, what do we tell him? Keep your f**king hands off our vote.”
"I think they got the message."
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Afterward, Ruffalo—best known to general audiences for playing Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—took the stage and stressed to the audience that the Trump administration is "going to try and stop us" but that it shouldn't be an invitation to back down:
"We've got to run to January, we've got to make sure our people get seated. They're going to try and stop them, they're going to try and stop us."
“They’re going to try and stop us from taking our country back, and we’re not going to let ’em. Trump, we’re not letting you! Hands off our f**king vote!”
After someone in the crowd then yelled out, “You tell ’em, Hulk!” Ruffalo laughed and said:
“I’m gonna Hulk out. You won’t like me when I’m angry. Hey, I’m still here! They thought I was out for the count—I’m still here, I’m still playing the Hulk.”
“This is a big, big deal, this election. There’s a lot hanging in the balance. And we all know that we’re going to kick their asses—but we all know that they’re going to steal it. They’re going to do everything in their power, and it isn’t going to be over the night we all win.” ...
“We can’t hide. We have to be together and we have to fight for each other and we have to be brave. They’re going to do everything they can to keep us in our homes. They’re going to do everything they can to make us feel small. They’re going to do everything they can to make us feel lost, to make it feel inevitable.”
“It’s not inevitable! We’re inevitable—the truth is inevitable.”
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Many have praised the actors for speaking out and have sounded the alarm themselves.
It's good to see prominent voices speaking out.
There are 28 days until Election Day. Get out there, people.
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