Robert De Niro lashes out at America, says he feels ‘betrayed’ at ‘State of the Swamp’ event

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro delivered a heartfelt critique of the United States during a recent podcast appearance, describing how he feels “betrayed” by his own country. In a wide-ranging discussion about the nation’s trajectory, De Niro admitted he struggles with the idea of saying he loves the US in its current state.

De Niro’s remarks quickly reignited his public feud with President Donald Trump, coming just hours after Trump delivered his State of the Union address on February 24. The exchange highlighted deep divides in the country, both politically and culturally.

Robert De Niro questions what it means to love America

De Niro reflected on the familiar phrase, “we all love our country,” but admitted it now feels increasingly complicated.

“We all love our country. I choke on that phrase,” he said. “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 that trashes our economy to give tax breaks to its billionaire cronies?”

The actor emphasized that his frustration is not about expecting perfection but upholding principles. “I feel betrayed by my country,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to return to the values that gave us our strength and humanity.”

Actor urges Americans to resist and ‘stick together’

On ‘The Best People With Nicole Wallace’ podcast, De Niro directly criticized Trump and urged collective action. “Trump is the enemy of this country, let’s not kid ourselves. It’s that simple,” he said.

De Niro stressed unity, warning against political apathy. “Everybody has to stick together to get them out and get back on track. We can all argue and fight about our little differences and all that. This is the big problem,” he explained. He also noted that political divisions would persist, regardless of any individual leader.

Trump fires back on social media

Trump responded the next day on Truth Social, targeting De Niro with sharp criticism. “Trump Deranged Robert De Niro (is) another sick and demented person with, I believe, an extremely Low IQ, who has absolutely no idea what he is doing or saying—some of which is seriously CRIMINAL!” he wrote.

Trump compared De Niro to comedian Rosie O’Donnell, adding, “The only difference between De Niro and Rosie is that she is probably somewhat smarter than him, which isn’t saying much.” He concluded with confidence about the nation’s trajectory: “The good news is that America is now Bigger, Better, Richer, and Stronger than ever before, and it’s driving them absolutely crazy!”