President Donald Trump lashed out at actor Robert De Niro, threatening him with deportation after the legendary actor joined fellow celebrities and Democratic politicians for an alternative "State of the Swamp" event during Trump's rambling State of the Union address.
The event was put together by the anti-Trump organization Defiance.org alongside the artist-activist collective Portland Frog Brigade and the advocacy media network Courier. Organizers described it as a response to what they describe as "abuses of power" by Trump, as well as by figures who have previously served in his orbit.
De Niro, speaking on stage, was firm that "regardless of our political affiliation or whether we engage in politics or not, we all love our country," but stressed that "in our current climate, professing love for our country is like an abused spouse professing love for their abuser."
He added:
"I've never thought of being a citizen as an act of love. I've tried to be a good citizen: I pay my taxes, vote, obey the law, recycle, stay within the speed limit. ... In return, I'm grateful for the opportunities and freedoms my family, my fellow citizens, my immigrant ancestors have enjoyed."
"But my heart is broken as I see them being taken away, both the freedoms and, increasingly, my fellow citizens. I'm not going anywhere. This is my house, my home. But I have to tell you I'm not too crazy about living in this dysfunctional relationship. Our country, as President Lincoln reminded us, is meant to be government of the people, by the people, and for the people."
“Tragically, we are now in a country of, by and for a handful of dishonest and greedy and cruel authoritarians. Love our country? Let me ask you: Can you love a country where our neighbors are shot down in the streets by masked government thugs? Can you love a country that denies healthcare for tens of millions of our fellow citizens?"
"Can you love a country that ends contributions to sick and starving people around the world, causing hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths, many of them innocent children? Can you love a country that trashes our economy to give tax breaks to its billionaire cronies? Can you love a country that denies science and sacrifices the climate, the very air our children breathe?"
"Can you love a country that pardons violent criminals and protects pedophiles? I could go on and on and on. The bottom line is that I feel betrayed by my country. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to return to the values that gave us our strength and humanity.”
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Shortly afterward, Trump lashed out on his Truth Social account, calling Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar (Minnesota) and Rashida Tlaib (Michigan) “lunatics” and suggesting they should be deported after the two Democrats heckled him during his address in the House chamber.
Omar said Trump should be “ashamed,” while Tlaib called him a liar; both shouted that he had “killed Americans” through his immigration policies. In response, Trump threatened to send Omar—who was born in Somalia—and Tlaib—born in Detroit—back to their supposed places of origin.
He said:
"When you watch Low IQ Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, as they screamed uncontrollably last night at the very elegant State of the Union, such an important and beautiful event, they had the bulging, bloodshot eyes of crazy people, LUNATICS, mentally deranged and sick who, frankly, look like they should be institutionalized."
"When people can behave like that, and knowing that they are Crooked and Corrupt Politicians, so bad for our Country, we should send them back from where they came — as fast as possible. They can only damage the United States of America, they can do nothing to help it."
He then pivoted to attacking De Niro, accusing him of engaging in criminal acts by criticizing the government and comparing him to comedian Rosie O'Donnell, one of Trump's longtime rivals who fled the U.S. for Ireland:
"They should actually get on a boat with Trump Deranged Robert De Niro, another sick and demented person with, I believe, an extremely Low IQ, who has absolutely no idea what he is doing or saying — some of which is seriously CRIMINAL!"
"When I watched him break down in tears last night, much like a child would do, I realized that he may be even sicker than Crazy Rosie O’Donnell, who is right now in Ireland trying to figure out how to come back into our beautiful United States."
"The only difference between De Niro and Rosie is that she is probably somewhat smarter than him, which isn’t saying much," he added. "The good news is that America is now Bigger, Better, Richer, and Stronger than ever before, and it’s driving them absolutely crazy!"
You can see Trump's post below.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
Many have condemned Trump's remarks.
De Niro, one of the more prominent anti-Trumpers in Hollywood, delivered a similarly hard-hitting message aimed at Trump during The New Republic's "Stop Trump Summit" in New York City during the 2024 election cycle.
De Niro was not physically present at the event due to his recovery from COVID-19. Instead, he had former Trump administration official Miles Taylor read his remarks to the audience.
In his message, De Niro made a passionate case, drawing on his extensive experience playing various film roles, including gangsters and criminals. The essence of his message was that Trump is not merely a bad figure but an evil one.
De Niro said Trump, who was twice impeached, is "still a fool." But he nonetheless warned Americans that evil "thrives in the shadow of dismissive mockery, which is why we must take the danger of Donald Trump very seriously."
The actor has also compared Trump to notorious fascists Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, noting that Trump's supporters "might think [backing Trump is] gonna make their life better or they just wanna f**k with the rest of the country."
