Veteran actor known for supporting the Democratic Party for decades, Robert De Niro, harshly criticized former president Donald Trump before his first criminal trial verdict. De Niro argued that if Trump is re-elected, he will ruin the U.S. and the world. However, Trump’s camp mocked the desperate Democratic government for mobilizing an “over-the-hill actor.”
According to CNN, on May 28 (GMT), De Niro attended a rally in front of a criminal court in Manhattan, New York. He revealed that President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign asked him to attend the rally. De Niro said, “The Biden administration asked me to go (to the court), and I thought, ‘Yes, I should go and say something.'” He added, “I don’t want to do this, but I don’t see any other way.” He warned, “If Trump returns to the White House, we might have to say goodbye to this freedom we all take for granted.” He emphasized, “I love this city and don’t want to ruin it. Trump wants to ruin not only this city but also this country, and ultimately, he could ruin the world.”
De Niro, who turns 80 this year, is known for winning Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for The Godfather Part II in 1975 and Best Actor for Raging Bull in 1981. He is known as a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. In 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor for a civilian, from former Democratic President Barack Obama. De Niro had once said that he wanted to “punch Trump in the face” when Trump was running for president, calling him a “dog, pig, conman, and scumbag.” Furthermore, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in 2018, De Niro received a bomb package along with major Democratic figures like Biden.
De Niro is supporting Biden’s re-election in the upcoming November election and was the narrator for a Biden campaign ad released on May 24. In the ad, De Niro said, “Trump was defeated and collapsed in the 2020 election. He is currently running for re-election, desperately trying to hold on to power. This time, he wants to become a dictator and abolish the constitution.”
The argument on May 28 was the final argument of Trump’s first criminal trial in which he was indicted. Trump is facing four criminal charges, and the trial has begun for one case. The Judiciary of New York started the trial in April over allegations that Trump manipulated documents and violated election regulations by using his company’s money to hide a sexual harassment scandal in 2016. A jury of 12 will start deliberations on Trump’s guilt on May 29. However, it is difficult to predict when the verdict will be given, considering the situation where opinions may be divided and deliberations may be prolonged.
Trump supporters also gathered in front of the court on May 28. Jason Miller, a senior advisor to Trump’s election campaign, said, “Biden is losing nationwide. Trump’s approval rating is continuously rising. The best Biden can do is to bring out an over-the-hill actor.” Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s eldest son, also claimed outside the court that De Niro “needed to draw attention since it’s been a long time since he appeared in a movie.” He emphasized, “Protesting across the street from where a witch hunt is taking place clearly shows that the trial is political.”
