Robert De Niro drops F-bomb live on CNN when asked about critics who say he shouldn't bash Trump: 'F*** 'em'
Whether onscreen or off, Robert De Niro’s never been one to mince words. Now, his straight talk has turned the air blue at CNN.
De Niro, currently starring in the new Martin Scorsese film The Irishman, appeared on CNN’s Reliable Sources on Sunday morning, where the outspoken Trump critic once again lashed out at the president.
“This guy should not be president, period,” the Oscar winner told CNN host Brian Stelter.
Stelter then pointed out the flak De Niro has received from those, including Fox News pundits, who say he should keep out of politics. The actor raised ire when he declared “F*** Trump” during the 2018 Tony Awards.
De Niro’s response to Stelter was just as raw. (The video clip posted below includes swearing.)
“F*** ‘em,” he said of his critics, raising his arms for emphasis. “F*** ‘em.”
De Niro followed that up with a “sorry,” while Stelter cautioned him about the swearing.
“This is cable, so it's not an FCC violation, but it is still a Sunday morning,” Stelter said. “Why do you choose to go that way?”
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“We are in a moment in our lives, in this country, where this guy is like a gangster,” the Godfather 2 star said. “He’s come along and he’s said things, done things ... This is terrible. We’re in a terrible situation. We’re in a terrible situation. And this guy just keeps going on and on and on without being stopped.”
De Niro’s language riled up supporters of the president, one of whom accused CNN of “promoting this ripe of aggressive and violence.” Ryan Saavedra of conservative site The Daily Wire called it an “absolute clown show.”
But the 76-year-old star’s comments also earned some praise.
“Robert De Niro is my Sunday morning mood. And Monday through Saturday too,” tweeted director Ava DuVernay.
“Anybody who is more offended by what Robert De Niro said than what Donald Trump is actually doing is part of the problem,” added CNN commentator Keith Boykin.
“#F***Em,” tweeted actress and activist Alyssa Milano.
Meghan McCain, meanwhile, complained about the response to De Niro’s outburst.