# Robert De Niro political commentary > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/robert-de-niro-political-commentary > Updated: 2026-10-06T12:25:05.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 4. Actor Robert De Niro has voiced significant concerns regarding the political trajectory of the United States. In late August, while promoting the film ‘The Whisper Man’, De Niro criticized Donald Trump and his supporters, describing the latter as a ‘cult’. He stated that he no longer uses the word ‘hope’ regarding the Trump administration and warned that Trump could ‘destroy’ the United States and other regions. By mid-September, during discussions for the documentary ‘Tribeca25’, De Niro expanded on his concerns, noting he is ‘preoccupied’ with the nation’s direction. He suggested that current political challenges appear to stem ‘from inside the country’ rather than from external threats, comparing the current climate to the period following the September 11 attacks. In mid-September 2026, during an appearance on the ‘Good Hang’ podcast, De Niro became visibly emotional after comedian Amy Poehler praised his political activism. Poehler noted that his willingness to use his reputation to criticize political figures makes marginalized groups, including women and people of color, feel safer. De Niro responded by emphasizing the necessity of advocacy, stating, ‘if you don't fight, you won't achieve anything.’ On October 6, 2026, De Niro continued his criticisms at a ‘Hand off our vote’ movement event in New York City. He referred to President Trump as a ‘coward’ and a ‘piece of shit’, describing the administration as ‘tremendously stupid’. Alongside actor Mark Ruffalo, De Niro urged Americans to vote in the November 3 midterm elections to reclaim control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. During the same rally in Washington Square Park, De Niro accused Trump of being the ‘chief protector’ of the late Jeffrey Epstein. He demanded the immediate release of remaining files related to the Epstein investigation, questioning what the administration might be hiding. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-06: Robert De Niro criticizes Donald Trump at New York rallies Robert De Niro criticized Donald Trump at New York rallies, urging voters to participate in midterms and demanding the full release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/robert-de-niro-criticizes-donald-trump-at-new-york-event ### 2026-09-15: Robert De Niro becomes emotional during podcast interview with Amy Poehler Robert De Niro became emotional on Amy Poehler’s ‘Good Hang’ podcast after being thanked for his political activism and vocal criticism of Donald Trump. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/robert-de-niro-discusses-social-media-popularity-and-politics-on-amy-poehler-podcast ### 2026-09-11: Robert De Niro expresses concern over America's political future Robert De Niro expressed preoccupation with America's political future while promoting the documentary ‘Tribeca25’, which reflects on the legacy of the Tribeca Film Festival and the 9/11 attacks. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/robert-de-niro-expresses-concern-over-americas-political-future ### 2026-08-25: Robert De Niro criticizes Donald Trump and his supporters Robert De Niro criticized Donald Trump and his supporters in a recent interview, warning that Trump could destroy the U.S. and the world and describing his following as a ‘cult’. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/robert-de-niro-criticizes-donald-trump-and-his-supporters --- Cite as: Robert De Niro political commentary. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/robert-de-niro-political-commentary