Robert De Niro has always hated Trump. But at Cannes 2025, he gave that hatred a microphone, a spotlight, and a standing ovation.
While accepting the honorary Palme d’Or at the festival’s opening ceremony, De Niro turned what could’ve been a soft-focus tribute into a blistering political reckoning. His target: the U.S. president. His message: this isn’t just about America. It’s about all of us.
“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted… That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together.”
What followed wasn’t a speech — it was a call to arms.
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Robert De Niro vs. the “Philistine President” and the War on Art
Trump, recently re-elected and freshly obsessed with controlling cultural institutions, appointed himself head of the Kennedy Center and slashed funding for the arts. De Niro didn’t hold back: he called him “America’s philistine president” and warned that autocrats always go after artists first.
Then came Trump’s newest stunt — a 100% tariff on foreign films.
“You can’t put a price on creativity,” said De Niro. “But apparently you can put a tariff on it.”
For De Niro, this isn’t policy — it’s cultural warfare. And it’s global.
“All of these attacks are unacceptable. And this isn’t just an American problem. It’s a global one. Like a film, we can’t just sit back and watch.”
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Protest, organize, vote
De Niro ended his speech with the energy of a man who has absolutely nothing to lose and everything left to say:
“It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest, and when there are elections, vote. Vote.”
No Hollywood platitudes. No both-sides diplomacy. Just an 81-year-old legend reminding a theater full of industry elites that silence is complicity — and that artists have always been on the frontlines.
A charged opening night
The night wasn’t just about De Niro. Gérard Depardieu’s sexual assault conviction loomed heavily over the festival’s first day, with jury president Juliette Binoche stating the actor is “no longer sacred.” Workers protested outside for better labor protections. A new ban on sheer or oversized dresses was met with confusion and side-eyes.
And then De Niro lit the place on fire.
