Robert De Niro warns of dictatorship if Trump is reelected during New York court appearance, calling the former US President “clown”
Actor Robert De Niro criticizes former US President Donald Trump, calling him a dangerous “clown” who will become a dictator for life if reelected
Actor Robert De Niro addressed reporters on Tuesday outside the New York court where former US President Donald Trump is standing trial, branding him a dangerous “clown” who will become a dictator for life if reelected.
De Niro, a longtime political activist and vocal critic of Trump, has taken on a more prominent role in the campaign to reelect President Joe Biden, recently starring in a hard-hitting TV ad for the Democratic Party.
“When Trump ran in 2016, it was like a joke,” De Niro told reporters, referring to the former president as a “clown” and a “tyrant.” “We have a second chance, and no one is laughing now. This is the time to stop him.”
During the trial, Trump has made daily statements to TV news cameras, claiming the trial is a political attack against him, criticizing the judge as biased, and repeating false claims about the 2020 election being rigged.
De Niro’s impromptu press conference—amid a noisy backdrop of pro-Trump protesters and car alarms—appeared to be an effort to counter Trump’s extensive media coverage.
“If he gets in, I can tell you right now, he will never leave,” De Niro warned. “Is that the country we want to live in? Do we want him running this country and saying ‘I’m not leaving? I’m dictator for life’?”
“The only way to preserve our freedoms and hold on to our humanity is to vote for Joe Biden for president,” the actor stated.
De Niro also accused Trump of inciting the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol after his 2020 election defeat to Biden. He noted that Trump “ran and hid in the White House” during the violence, which resulted in injuries to dozens of police officers.
Flanking De Niro were retired officers Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone, who were wounded during the insurrection. Dunn is one of three officers who defended the Capitol and will campaign for Biden in key battleground states ahead of the first presidential debate between Biden and Trump, scheduled for June 27.
The campaign announced Tuesday that these officers would emphasize how Trump “snapped” after losing the 2020 election, highlighting his pledge to pardon the January 6 rioters if he returns to office.
“Donald Trump and his unhinged quest for power and retribution pose an existential threat to our democracy,” Dunn said. He previously sought the Democratic nomination for a House seat in Maryland but was unsuccessful.
“He continues to embrace political violence, going as far as saying there will be a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses again and promising to be a dictator on ‘day one’ and pardon January 6 rioters,” Dunn added.
Closing arguments began Tuesday in Trump’s hush money trial, less than six months before the upcoming election.
Source: AFP
