Veteran and acclaimed American actor and filmmaker Robert De Niro has said he feels “betrayed by my country” as he delivered an impassioned speech urging Americans to mobilise against Donald Trump ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The Oscar-winning actor spoke on February 24 at the ‘State of the Swamp’ event, held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, as a counter programme to the State of the Union address taking place at the US Capitol.
“I feel betrayed by my country,” De Niro told the audience. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to return to the values that gave us our strength and humanity.”
The event, staged just over a mile from the Capitol, also featured appearances from Mark Ruffalo and author Marianne Williamson. Organisers included anti-Trump group ‘Defiance.org’, the artist activist coalition ‘Portland Frog Brigade’ and advocacy media network ‘Courier’.
During his remarks, De Niro called for public action to hold leaders accountable. “If you’re devoted to the Constitution and the rule of law, if you want the United States of America to be worthy of your love, be ready to take the streets together, and we will take our country back,” he said.
The following day, Trump responded on his social media platform Truth Social, describing the actor as “sick and demented” and questioning his intelligence. He also mocked De Niro’s emotional delivery during the speech.
In a statement to US media, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung dismissed the actor as a “washed-up has-been” and accused him of inciting division.
De Niro, 82, has been an outspoken critic of Trump for years. In a recent episode of the podcast ‘The Best People’, he referred to the president as “the enemy of this country” and urged voters to remain focused on what he described as the “big problem”.
He also expressed doubts that Trump would willingly leave office at the end of a second term in 2029, saying it would be up to voters to ensure a change in leadership.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, De Niro emphasised peaceful protest and civic engagement, encouraging Americans who oppose Trump to demonstrate their patriotism through voting and public action.
