Robert De Niro criticized President Donald Trump at a First Amendment benefit concert in New York City on June 14, saying he could not love a country led by Trump. The actor also compared expressions of national pride to an abused spouse saying they love an abuser, while describing his hope that he could love the country again.
De Niro spoke at “Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment” at The Town Hall. The event was presented by the Committee for the First Amendment, and its proceeds were set to benefit the committee.
What De Niro said
De Niro said the phrase “we all love our country” had become difficult for him to say. He argued that, in the current political climate, the phrase could sound like an abused spouse expressing love for an abuser.
He then said he could not love a country led by Trump. De Niro criticized the administration over issues including healthcare, immigration and the use of force against people in the United States. Those statements were his political views, not findings established by the concert or by the reporting about it.
De Niro also spoke about his family’s immigrant ancestors and the opportunities and freedoms they found in the United States. He ended by saying that he wanted to love his country again and wanted his country back.
A concert focused on free expression
The June 14 event was called “Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment.” The Town Hall’s event listing described it as an evening of music and appearances focused on First Amendment freedoms, including speech, religion, the press, assembly and protest.
Reuters reported before the concert that actor Jane Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment was organizing the event in New York. The concert took place as Trump held a separate UFC event on the White House grounds for his 80th birthday. The two events were in different cities.
De Niro’s remarks were part of broader criticism
De Niro has publicly criticized Trump before. At the June concert, he tied his criticism to concerns about the country’s leadership and policies, while also describing freedoms and opportunities he associated with America.
His comments prompted a broader question about patriotism: whether people can love their country while opposing its president or believing its government is making harmful decisions. That question is a matter of political opinion, and responses to it are likely to differ.
What remains unclear
The event coverage confirms what De Niro said and where he said it. It does not establish the truth of every political claim he made. The remarks should therefore be understood as his opinion and criticism, rather than as independently verified evidence about each policy he mentioned.
The reviewed coverage did not include a direct response from Trump to this specific speech. De Niro’s statements were delivered at a concert focused on free expression, not as part of a government announcement or policy decision.
Reader poll
Hourly Times readers can weigh in on whether criticizing a president can be an expression of patriotism. The poll is informal and does not represent scientific public opinion.
