Veteran actor Robert De Niro has once again launched a blistering attack on U.S. President Donald Trump, describing him as a direct threat to the country’s future.
In a deeply emotional appearance on The Best People With Nicole Wallace podcast, the 82-year-old Hollywood icon did not temper his long-standing criticism. Visibly moved during parts of the conversation, De Niro warned listeners that the nation is in serious danger.
De Niro, who has repeatedly criticized Trump over the years, has previously labeled him a “buffoon,” an “idiot,” a “monster,” and a “vicious dictator.” This time, his remarks were equally sharp.
“The story is our country, and Trump is destroying it, and who knows what his reasons are, but it’s sick, it’s f***** up,” the Academy Award-winning actor said, before adding emphatically, “We have to save the country.”
The actor went further, branding Trump an “enemy of this country,” and stressing the urgency of unity. “Let’s not kid ourselves. It’s that simple. Everybody has to stick together to get them out and get back on track.”
Throughout the interview, De Niro underscored what he sees as the need for collective resistance against the current political climate.
“That’s the only way. There’s no magic. There’s no nothing – people are not going to go away, even if Trump dies for some reason by having an illness or something,” De Niro said. “Parts of that movement are still there, and that’s the scary part. It has to be neutralized by the people.”
At one point, the acclaimed Taxi Driver star became emotional after host Nicole Wallace praised him for consistently encouraging unity and support among others.
“You have to — you have to lift people up,” he said, choking up slightly. “You have to bring them together. Period. You can’t divide people. You can’t win that way.”
Reflecting on the broader state of the nation, De Niro added:
“Look what we have, look who we have there, it’s almost like a destiny to have this thing there, destroying… attempting to destroy this country and maybe not even understanding why. So it’s up to us to protect the country.”
This is far from the first time the actor has spoken publicly against Trump. In October 2025, in a video shared by the political activist group Indivisible, De Niro drew historical parallels between the former president and monarchy.
“Americans decided they didn’t want to live under the rule of King George III. They declared their independence and fought a bloody war for democracy. We’ve had two and a half centuries of democracy since then. Often challenging, sometimes messy, always essential.
Now we have a would-be king who wants to take it away: King Donald the First. Fuck that. We’re rising up again, this time, nonviolently raising our voices to declare: No Kings.”
De Niro’s remarks add to the ongoing cultural and political divide in the United States, as prominent public figures continue to voice strong opinions about the country’s leadership and direction.
