Robert De Niro headlined “The State of the Swamp,” a parallel address that aired simultaneously with Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Needless to say, this appeared to rub the president the wrong way. His State of the Union address, which he described as “elegant,” was already marked by outbursts from Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, whose comments received bipartisan criticism.
In a lengthy Truth Social post, the president decried the Democratic lawmakers. He also took aim at De Niro, whom he called “sick and demented.” De Niro has been highly critical of Donald Trump and his policies and has publicly criticized MAGA supporters multiple times.
BREAKING: Trump threatens to DEPORT Robert De Niro in unhinged tirade after State of the Union.
In a late-night meltdown that stunned even longtime observers, President Donald Trump launched a furious attack on Hollywood icon Robert De Niro — and floated the idea of deporting… pic.twitter.com/ojJLIwlJJg
— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) February 25, 2026
Speaking about the president on MSNBC’s “The Best People with Nicole Wallace,” he said, “He’s an idiot. We gotta get rid of him. He’s gonna ruin the country. I don’t want everybody going around with their MAGA, the American flags, like they’re the only ones. We are Americans too.”
While the president resorted to name-calling in his social media post, De Niro spoke about his feelings regarding President Trump returning to power and what he described as a lack of accountability. The actor said he felt betrayed by his country. De Niro supported Kamala Harris in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. He is also of the opinion that Donald Trump and his group of loyal supporters are not real Republicans.
Robert De Niro: “We all love our country. I choke on that phrase. Can you love a country where our neighbors are shot down in the streets by masked government thugs? Can you love a country that denies healthcare for tens of millions of our fellow citizens? Can you love a country… pic.twitter.com/fuQhQ3DCUS
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) February 25, 2026
Robert De Niro, appearing on “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?,” addressed his personal interactions with the businessman-turned-politician. Given that De Niro and Trump had some overlap in their social circles, they may have known each other in a personal capacity. However, De Niro said, “No. I never wanted anything to do with him. He’s a jerk, an idiot. Who wants to meet a clown like that?”
Donald Trump’s State of the Union address saw a significant number of flashpoints over the course of the speech. Democrats arrived with victims of the Epstein scandal and refused to support the president when he made sweeping statements regarding immigration and “illegal aliens.” Trump paused his speech to criticize the lack of Democratic support for his policies. Tensions escalated further when Democrats refused to stand in acknowledgment of Iryna Zarutska’s mother. Zarutska was killed on a subway by Decarlos Brown Jr., a career criminal who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Trump’s State of the Union speech also highlighted what he described as economic victories in addressing rising prices. However, many Americans remain unconvinced that Republican economic policies have eased the affordability crisis in the country.
