NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Robert De Niro has always been known for his candid and often blunt opinions. He has never minced his words when it comes to expressing his views and opinions, especially those of former President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, October 11, the Hollywood legend once again found himself in the limelight as he took the stage at The New Republic's Stop Trump Summit, albeit virtually due to a last-minute Covid-19 diagnosis.

Instead of delivering his address in person, his statement was read out by former Trump administration official Miles Taylor, whom De Niro praised for his intelligence and courage.

Robert De Niro calls Donald Trump 'evil one'

De Niro's comments at the Stop Trump Summit revolved around his extensive experience portraying gangsters in his acting career. He drew parallels between the characteristics and mannerisms of these fictional characters and those of real-life "bad men."

However, as De Niro delved into his observations of Trump, he noted a significant distinction. He stated, "Yet there's something different about Donald Trump. When I look at him, I don't see a bad man. Truly. I see an evil one."

This stark assessment set the tone for De Niro's critique of Donald Trump. He highlighted the concept of "honor among thieves," acknowledging that even criminals tend to have some form of moral code. However, De Niro contended that Trump transcended this code.

"He’s a wannabe tough guy with no morals or ethics. No sense of right or wrong. No regard for anyone but himself — not the people he was supposed to lead and protect, not the people he does business with, not the people who follow him, blindly and loyally, not even the people who consider themselves his 'friends.' He has contempt for all of them," the 'Raging Bull' star continued.

“Democracy won’t survive the return of a wannabe dictator,” De Niro warned. “And it won’t overcome evil if we are divided.”

De Niro, as a New Yorker himself, claimed Trump had left an indelible mark on the city -- but not in a good way. He remembered a time when many tried to "warn" the world about the potential consequences of Trump's ascent to political power back in 2016.

De Niro drew a harrowing picture of Trump's leadership, likening it to that of an abusive parent who rules through fear and violent behavior.

"The man who was supposed to protect this country put it in peril, because of his recklessness and impulsiveness. It was like an abusive father ruling the family by fear and violent behavior. That was the consequence of New York’s warning getting ignored. Next time, we know it will be worse," he alleged.

While De Niro did not hesitate to brand Trump as a "twice-impeached, 4-time indicted" fool, he also issued a caution against underestimating the former president.

"Evil thrives in the shadow of dismissive mockery, which is why we must take the danger of Donald Trump very seriously," he insisted.

De Niro concluded his statement by emphasizing the importance of reaching out to Trump's followers with respect and addressing shared values such as right and wrong, humanity, kindness, security, safety, and decency.

"So what do we do about it? I know I’m preaching to the choir here. What we’re doing today is valuable, but we have to take today into tomorrow – take it outside these walls. We have to reach out to the half of our country who have ignored the hazards of Trump and, for whatever reason, support elevating him back into the White House," he stated.

"They’re not stupid, and we must not condemn them for making a stupid choice. Our future doesn’t just depend on us. It depends on them," De Niro added.

Social media reactions

Supporters of the actor commended his passionate address, with many echoing his sentiments and expressing their agreement with his perspective.

"Thank you, Mr. De Niro. Well said," one posted on X.

"Everyone knows that. Even his supporters. The only difference is, his supporters don’t care," another offered.

"I agree with everything Robert De Niro said," someone else wrote.

"Robert De Niro spoke nothing but truth. How in God’s Name did this nightmare on America happen? What happened to the Gate Keepers?" another chimed in

However, not everyone was appreciative of De Niro's message.

"Lol says the guy that’s literally a 'wannabe tough guy,'" one wrote.

"@Rob_D_Niro is a wonderful actor, who at every chance he gets takes a role of the tough guy New Yorker, and emulates a wannabe Donald Trump character. is this out of hate or love??" another quipped.

"I’m no Trump fan, but who the hell cares what random celebrities think?" a comment read.