Robert De Niro attacks Trump in Cannes speech: ‘This isn’t just America’s problem’
The actor Robert De Niro has – after a brief period of abstention – returned to his robust public critique of Donald Trump, using his Palme d’Or acceptance speech at the Cannes film festival to newly attack the US president.
“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted,” he said. “That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat.”
As applause broke out in the Grand Lumiére, Cannes’ largest cinema, De Niro continued:
“That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists. America’s philistine president ha[s] had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions [the Kennedy Center]. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education.”
De Niro then addressed Trump’s surprise announcement 10 days ago that he planned to put a 100% tariff on films made outside the US.
“You can’t put a price on creativity,” said De Niro, “but apparently you can put a tariff on it. Of course, this is unacceptable. All of these attacks are unacceptable. And this isn’t just an American problem, it’s a global one. Like a film, we can’t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now.”
“It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organise,” he said, “to protest, and when there are elections, vote. Vote. Tonight, and for the next 11 days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.”
The actor Leonardo DiCaprio presented De Niro, now 81, with the award in advance of the opening night film – French comedy Partir Un Jour. De Niro was president of the jury at the festival in 2011 and has long been a regular on the Croisette.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ma...nes-speech
The actor Robert De Niro has – after a brief period of abstention – returned to his robust public critique of Donald Trump, using his Palme d’Or acceptance speech at the Cannes film festival to newly attack the US president.
“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted,” he said. “That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat.”
As applause broke out in the Grand Lumiére, Cannes’ largest cinema, De Niro continued:
“That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists. America’s philistine president ha[s] had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions [the Kennedy Center]. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education.”
De Niro then addressed Trump’s surprise announcement 10 days ago that he planned to put a 100% tariff on films made outside the US.
“You can’t put a price on creativity,” said De Niro, “but apparently you can put a tariff on it. Of course, this is unacceptable. All of these attacks are unacceptable. And this isn’t just an American problem, it’s a global one. Like a film, we can’t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now.”
“It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organise,” he said, “to protest, and when there are elections, vote. Vote. Tonight, and for the next 11 days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.”
The actor Leonardo DiCaprio presented De Niro, now 81, with the award in advance of the opening night film – French comedy Partir Un Jour. De Niro was president of the jury at the festival in 2011 and has long been a regular on the Croisette.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ma...nes-speech
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
