In a sharp escalation of the long-standing feud between the White House and Hollywood, President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro should be deported, labeling him a “sick and demented person” following De Niro’s fiery appearance at an anti-administration rally.
The President’s comments, delivered via Truth Social, came less than 24 hours after De Niro headlined the “State of the Swamp,” a counter-programming event held at the National Press Club to coincide with Tuesday night’s State of the Union address. The actor’s emotional plea for “public resistance” ahead of the 2026 midterm elections ignited a firestorm across the political landscape, drawing swift condemnation from MAGA loyalists and high-profile media allies.
‘Betrayed by My Country’: De Niro’s Call to Action
The 82-year-old Killers of the Flower Moon star did not mince words during his Tuesday night address, framing the current administration as an existential threat to American democratic norms.
“The bottom line is that I feel betrayed by my country,” De Niro told a crowd of activists and Democratic lawmakers who boycotted the official State of the Union. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to return to the values that gave us our strength and humanity.”
De Niro’s rhetoric intensified during a Monday appearance on the podcast The Best People with Nicole Wallace, where he branded the President “an idiot” and warned that Trump is “going to ruin the country.” He specifically took aim at the symbolism of the MAGA movement, asserting that “the American flag” belongs to all citizens, not just one political faction.
Trump’s Retaliation: From ‘Low IQ’ to Deportation
President Trump responded on Wednesday morning with a characteristically blunt multi-post tirade. He grouped De Niro with Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib—who had also drawn his ire for their conduct during the State of the Union—suggesting all three were “mentally deranged.”
“They should actually get on a boat with Trump Deranged Robert De Niro, another sick and demented person with, I believe, an extremely Low IQ,” Trump wrote. “When I watched him break down in tears last night, much like a child would do, I realized that he may be even sicker than Crazy Rosie O’Donnell.”
Legal experts noted that while the President’s suggestion of “getting on a boat” (a reference to deportation) is rhetorically aggressive, De Niro is a native-born U.S. citizen, making such a move legally impossible. Nevertheless, the comments served as a rallying cry for the President’s base.
MAGA Echo Chamber Erupts
The President’s allies moved quickly to amplify the “unhinged” narrative. On X (formerly Twitter), Fox News host Laura Ingraham dismissed the actor as a “sad, angry little man,” echoing the sentiment of prominent MAGA commentators who spent Wednesday branding De Niro a “washed-up actor” suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
The backlash highlights a deepening cultural rift as the 2026 midterms approach. For the President’s supporters, De Niro represents the “Hollywood elite” seeking to undermine a democratically elected leader. For the “State of the Swamp” organizers, De Niro is a vital messenger for a movement they say is fighting for the “soul of the country.”
A Look Ahead
With the 2026 midterms looming, this exchange signals that the administration intends to lean heavily into “culture war” rhetoric, targeting high-profile critics to galvanize voters. De Niro, meanwhile, has called for a sustained, peaceful presence in public spaces, framing the upcoming elections as a final referendum on the Trump presidency.
