Robert De Niro Slams Censoring Of His Feelings About Donald Trump

Robert De Niro has made it clear he will not have his thoughts censored, especially what he has to say about former President Donald Trump. 

The veteran actor's unfiltered remarks are no surprise to those who have followed his career. He has always been a vocal critic of Trump, frequently expressing his disapproval in interviews and on stage. 

The two-time Academy Awards winner took the stage at the Gotham Awards with fire in his eyes, alleging that his speech about the former US President was tampered with before he could deliver it. Despite the apparent interference, De Niro did not shy away from sharing his unfiltered thoughts on Trump, expressing his vehement disdain.

"I just want to say one thing. The beginning of my speech was edited and cut out, and I didn't know about it. And I want to read it," the "Mean Streets" star declared, setting the stage for an unapologetic verbal onslaught. 

In a pointed critique, De Niro said, "The former President lied to us more than 30,000 times during his four years in office. And he's keeping up the pace in his current campaign of retribution. But with all his lies, he can't hide his soul."

Amid his Trump rant and a lecture on the erosion of truth by "alternative facts," the father-of-seven also expressed frustration at the apparent censorship, blaming Apple and the Gotham Awards for meddling with his words. "I don't feel like thanking them at all for what they did. How dare they do that, actually," he proclaimed.

The "Silver Linings Playbook" actor even drew a parallel between Trump and John Wayne, accusing the iconic Western actor of supporting the seizure of land from Native Americans.

This incident is not the first time De Niro has publicly criticized Trump. Back in May, during the Cannes Film Festival press conference for "Killers of the Flower Moon," "The Godfather Part II" star likened the former President to the film's antagonist, bluntly labeling him as "st—."

Without explicitly naming him, he slyly stated, "We all know who I'm going to talk about. But I'm not going to say the name. That guy is stupid. Imagine if you're smart. Even Hale was smart in many ways."

Admitting his struggle with the character of William Hale, De Niro acknowledged the complexity, describing a dual nature within Hale – "Part of him is sincere. The other part, where he's betraying [the Osage people], there's a feeling of entitlement."

The 80-year-old also emphasized the urgency of acknowledging the resurgence of white supremacy, highlighting the need to recognize the banality of evil in society. He then pointed to the awakening prompted by George Floyd's tragic death, noting, "We became a lot more aware [of that dichotomy] after George Floyd with systemic racism." 

However, De Niro's outspokenness extends beyond political commentary. In a separate legal battle earlier this month, he was ordered to pay $1.2 million in damages to his ex-assistant, Graham Chase Robinson. 

The jury, after a mere five hours of deliberation following the two-week trial, held the "Cape Fear" actor's production company, Canal Productions, accountable for gender discrimination and retaliation. 

The shocking outcome unfolded as the assistant accused the Golden Globe Award winner of being an abusive boss, alleging instances of sexually inappropriate behavior. In the high-stakes courtroom drama, De Niro passionately denied the allegations against him, boldly declaring, "This is all nonsense!" during a defiant moment on the stand. 

Despite the legal blow, it is essential to note that the responsibility for the damages did not land on "The Deer Hunter" star personally; instead, his production company bore the brunt of the verdict. The assistant sued the company, given her dual employment under it and alongside De Niro.

ICYMI, the legal battle was initiated when the production company sued Robinson, alleging her theft of millions of frequent flier miles, excessive spending on Ubers and dinners, and being an unproductive employee who watched 'Friends' extensively during work hours.