Robert De Niro stepped onto the stage at the “No Kings” rally in New York City on Saturday and delivered a speech that left little doubt about how he feels about President Donald Trump. The actor told the crowd he believes the president is damaging the United States and warned that Trump must be stopped.
The rally drew protesters who gathered to oppose Trump as part of demonstrations taking place across the country. De Niro suggested the message behind the chant echoing through the crowd carried a clear political meaning.
“When the crowds are chanting ‘No Kings,’ what I’m really hearing, as we all know, is ‘No Trump,’” De Niro, a two-time Academy Award winner, said. “There have been other presidents who have tested the constitutional limits of their power, but none have been such an existential threat to our freedoms and security — NONE — except Trump.”
The actor then delivered a sharper warning to the audience.
De Niro continued, “He must be stopped, and he must be stopped now.”
While the Goodfellas star spoke forcefully about the president, he did not explain what he meant by stopping Trump. His comments come as Trump has already been the target of several assassination attempts.
Instead De Niro focused on what he believes are the consequences of Trump’s leadership. He accused the president of hurting Americans both economically and politically.
During his speech he said Trump has “taken away health care from our most vulnerable neighbors” and made gas and groceries “unaffordable.” He also criticized what he described as the “unnecessary” Iran war.
De Niro went on to call Trump a “corrupt leader” and claimed the president cares more about enriching himself and associates he referred to as the “Epstein class” than about properly running the country.
For many Americans the speech sounded familiar. De Niro has been openly critical of Trump for nearly a decade and has used interviews, public appearances, and protest events to voice his frustration with the president.
Last month he spoke at a protest that happened at the same time as Trump’s State of the Union address. At that event he said he felt more ashamed than proud to be an American.
“Our country isn’t so lovable right now,” De Niro said. “In the current climate, declaring love for our country is like an abused spouse professing love for their abuser.”
His criticism has also extended to members of the administration. Last year De Niro called Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller a “Nazi” even though Miller is Jewish.
During an appearance on MS NOW the actor also referred to Miller as the “Goebbels of the cabinet.”
The rally in New York was part of the third round of “No Kings” protests since Trump returned to office last year. Organizers planned demonstrations across the country as activists gathered coast to coast to protest the president and his administration.