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<\/p>\nAt the Cannes Film Festival, Robert De Niro drew headlines not only for receiving the honorary Palme d\u2019Or for lifetime achievement but for making a bold political statement that reverberated far beyond the red carpet.<\/p>\n
The legendary actor, director, and producer, now 87, was honored during the opening ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2025. But his moment in the spotlight wasn\u2019t limited to the award itself\u2014De Niro used his acceptance speech to take aim at former President Donald Trump in a pointed and passionate address.<\/p>\n
Arriving at the Palais des Festivals, De Niro was joined by his 45-year-old girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, and his daughter, Helen Grace. The family made a striking appearance, and the milestone moment was made even more significant by the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio presented him with the award. It was a full-circle moment, as De Niro had served as Jury President at the same festival back in 2011.<\/p>\n
The speech that followed was anything but predictable.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn my country, we are fighting like [expletive] for the democracy we once took for granted,\u201d De Niro began, his tone serious. \u201cThat affects all of us here because the arts are democratic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without naming Trump outright at first, he made his target clear by referencing recent developments in the U.S. political and cultural landscape. \u201cAmerica\u2019s philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions,\u201d he said, pointing to Trump\u2019s appointment as chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t stop there. De Niro expressed outrage over what he described as a sustained attack on the arts, humanities, and education, referencing Trump\u2019s proposed 100% tariff on foreign films. \u201cLet that sink in for a minute,\u201d he said, pausing to let the weight of the statement land.<\/p>\n
He warned that these moves were not isolated or purely domestic in impact. \u201cAll these attacks are unacceptable. And this isn\u2019t just an American problem, it\u2019s a global one,\u201d De Niro said.<\/p>\n
His message concluded with a call to action that echoed through the theater. \u201cLike a film, we can\u2019t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now\u2014without violence but with great passion and determination. It\u2019s time for anyone who cares about liberty to organise, to protest, and when there are elections, of course, to vote.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reaction was swift and intense.<\/p>\n
On social media, users voiced a wide range of opinions. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube were flooded with clips and comments. Some praised De Niro\u2019s courage, calling the speech \u201cpowerful\u201d and \u201ca call to arms to protect education and the arts.\u201d One user wrote, \u201cAn actual American, who cares about America and the rest of the planet that we all reside on!\u201d<\/p>\n