Robert De Niro takes on Donald Trump alongside Leonardo DiCaprio at Cannes

From May 13 to 24, the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival takes place – a cinematic event of international stature.

The opening ceremony was action-packed, with a number of high-profile celebrities in attendance each day to receive awards. Such was the case with veteran actor Robert De Niro, who received the honorary Palme d’Or.

The 81-year-old gave a strong speech at the award ceremony, with Leonardo DiCaprio close to him, in which he attacked US President Donald Trump.

In particular, De Niro criticized Trump for not encouraging democracy, and for the fact that the president has issued a persistent global threat since returning to power.

Robert De Niro blasted Donald Trump last night at the Cannes Film Festival: “We are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted. It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest. And when there are elections, of course, to vote” pic.twitter.com/6u1PgYh4VM

— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) May 15, 2025

The man who once starred in The Godfather 2 went on to criticize Trump, following the President’s announcement of a 100% tax on films made outside the USA. He called on people to take action and stand up, while advocating pacifism.

Robert De Niro took a fiery stand against Donald Trump at Cannes Film Festival’s opening ceremony on Tuesday night, calling him a “philistine president.”

“Now, he has announced a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S. Let that sink in for a minute. You can’t put a price… pic.twitter.com/eeYHLLOGsb

— Variety (@Variety) May 13, 2025

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