Hollywood veteran actor Robert De Niro criticized U.S. President Donald Trump as a "snob." This was a direct hit on Trump's policy of imposing a 100% tariff on all films made abroad.
According to reports from the Associated Press (AP) and Agence France-Presse (AFP) on the 13th (local time), De Niro made these critical remarks toward President Trump after receiving the honorary Palme d'Or at the opening ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival. The honorary Palme d'Or is a special award given to filmmakers who have made significant contributions to the global film industry.
De Niro stated, "Art is truth. Art embraces diversity," and added, "Art is a threat to the dictators and fascists of the world." He continued, "The snob president of the United States appointed himself as the head of one of America's leading cultural institutions (the Kennedy Center) and (that president Trump) cut funding and support for the arts, humanities, and education."
In addition, De Niro criticized President Trump for announcing that he would impose a 100% tariff on films produced abroad, saying, "Creativity cannot be priced, but tariffs seem to be. All of these attacks are unacceptable. This is not just an issue for America, but a global issue."
Moreover, he remarked, "We can’t all just sit back and watch, like in the movies," and stated, "We must act. Right now, we must act with great passion and determination, without being violent."