WATCH: Robert De Niro Says Trump Voters Fell For ‘Hitler’s Playbook,’ Biden Supporters Should ‘Set An Example’ For Them
Robert De Niro reacted to the news of President Donald Trump losing the 2020 election, comparing the president to Adolf Hitler and other dictators. The actor also expressed sadness that so many Americans still voted for Trump, but hoped that supporters of President-elect Joe Biden would “set an example” for them.
“Well, I’m relieved,” De Niro told MSNBC’s Ari Melber on Monday night when asked about the outcome of the presidential election. “Thank God.”
De Niro, however, remained dismayed that nearly half the country voted for Trump for a second term.
“It’s the same playbook as Mussolini, as Hitler, as a dictator, wannabe dictators,” the actor said. “It’s what they’re going to do for the people, make Germany great again, make Italy great again, make America great again.”
De Niro continued, “It’s all appealing to the worst prejudices, the worst weaknesses of the public, and instead of leading them and guiding them and being someone that they can look up to. And when the public is not right, you have to be there to do the right thing, to set an example for them. And if you don’t, then we’re going to be where we are today.”
De Niro, who famously declared “fuck Trump” on stage at the 2018 Tony Awards, noted that he’s not particularly political, but has felt compelled to speak up over the past four years.
“I was so angry and so enraged and confounded that he would actually behave the way he did and that people bought it,” the actor explained. “Now I see many, many, many people in the country feel this way. I’m sad about other people who don’t. They’ve accepted him and would have voted for him and have voted for him. I don’t know why.”
De Niro also warned that “there will be other people like [Trump] in the future,” adding, “Somebody’s going to come along who’s a lot smarter, more sensitive, more mercurial and not so boorish and will be able to pull the wool over the eyes of the public. Then we will have a more serious, deeper problem and one that might actually get further than what Trump has done.”
The Goodfellas star went on to note that Trump might have won re-election had he better handled the coronavirus pandemic. “I wouldn’t be happy about it, but he would’ve done something right,” said the actor. “He didn’t even understand how to do that.”
Watch the interview above, via MSNBC.
