Actor and New York native Robert De Niro clashed with pro-Trump protesters outside of the former president’s criminal hush-money trial in Manhattan on Tuesday.
The legendary actor was tapped by the Biden-Harris campaign to provide counter-messaging to the constant stream of Trump allies who have used the trial as a gathering point to broadcast the former president’s messaging.
“Donald Trump doesn’t belong in my city,” De Niro said. “We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another grubby real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot. A two-bit playboy lying his way into the tabloids. He’s a clown.”
“We’ve forgotten the lessons of history that showed us other clowns who weren’t taken seriously until they became vicious dictators,” he added. “With Trump we have a second chance, and no one is laughing now. This is the time to stop him by voting him out once and for all.”
The press conference was chaotic from the outset, with Trump supporters shouting and jeering at De Niro throughout his remarks. “Fuck you!,” “You’re a pussy!,” and “DeNiro, we hate you!” were among the comments heard by CBS News from the protesters. About midway through the conference a car alarm began blaring nearby.
At one point, De Niro directly sparred with a protester who called two Jan. 6 officers — Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone — who accompanied the actor of being “traitors” who’d “lied under oath” about their experience of the Capitol riot.
“I don’t even know how to deal with you,” De Niro replied, “they stood there and fought, for us, for you.”
Fanone also spoke at the press conference. “I put on a uniform and responded to the Capitol … to defend the Capitol from a violent, armed mob of Trump’s supporters,” he said, choking up. “These supporters were fueled by Trump’s lies and the lies of his surrogates that the 2020 election was stolen. Those same lies have been spewed by Donald Trump and his surrogates about what happened to me and so many other police officers. I was brutally assaulted. … I was beaten … I was struck with a taser on my neck.”
As De Niro left the scene, the actor was swarmed by a gaggle of press and Trump supporters. “You’re washed up,” one individual yelled.
“You are gangsters,” De Niro yelled. “Fuck you.”
