At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, legendary actor Robert De Niro made headlines not only for receiving the prestigious honorary Palme d’Or but also for delivering a fierce and pointed rebuke of former President Donald Trump. Speaking before a crowd of global filmmakers, actors, and dignitaries, De Niro used his platform to defend the arts while condemning what he described as Trump’s ongoing cultural and political assault.
De Niro began by thanking the festival and his collaborators but quickly turned his attention to what he sees as a growing threat to democracy and artistic freedom. He denounced Trump as a “philistine president” who disrespects culture, learning, and the arts. De Niro sharply criticized Trump’s policies, including his controversial 100% tariff on foreign films, a move that the actor said was designed to isolate American audiences and suppress diverse voices. He argued that this action was not just economic protectionism but an ideological attack meant to stifle international artistic expression.
In his speech, De Niro lamented the decline of government support for the arts and education under Trump’s administration, noting deep cuts to cultural institutions and programs that help promote creativity, storytelling, and critical thought. He warned that these attacks were not incidental, but deliberate. “Authoritarians always fear artists,” De Niro said. “We speak the truth. We imagine a better world. We provoke. And that makes us dangerous to them.”
One of the more startling moments in the speech came when De Niro referenced Trump’s controversial takeover of the Kennedy Center, where he appointed himself chairman and replaced longstanding board members with political allies. The move was seen by many in the creative community as an unprecedented politicization of a major cultural institution. De Niro said it had led to widespread boycotts by artists who refused to legitimize what they saw as an attack on artistic independence.
The veteran actor spoke with a blend of anger and urgency, calling for resistance—not through violence, but through creation, solidarity, and civic action. He invoked the French national motto, “Liberté, égalité, fraternité,” to remind the audience of the universal values that art strives to protect and celebrate. “Democracy and creativity go hand in hand,” De Niro declared. “When one falls, the other is not far behind.”
Though known for his long-standing critiques of Trump, De Niro’s Cannes speech stood out for its directness and scope. He did not hold back, reminding the world that the struggle for truth, beauty, and freedom through art is far from over. His words drew both loud applause and international media attention, reaffirming his place not just as a screen icon but as a committed advocate for artistic integrity and democratic values.
De Niro ended by urging young filmmakers and artists to keep creating, keep questioning, and keep resisting. “Your voice is your power,” he said. “Use it well. The world is listening.”
