Image Credit: Alex Brandon/AP Images; Mohammed Kasim/PR Photos
Things are getting heated between legendary actor Robert De Niro and Apprentice host/possible presidential candidate/rich person Donald Trump. Over the weekend, the notoriously reserved actor opened up to NBC’s Brian Williams during an interview at the Tribeca Film Festival, revealing some uncharacteristically candid opinions about politics.
“I won’t mention any of the certain people on the news in the last couple weeks,” De Niro said, after Williams mentioned how far apart the country has become politically. “But what are we doing? This is crazy. They’re making statements about people that they don’t even back up. Go get the facts before you start saying things about people.”
Though the actor didn’t explicitly refer to Trump, Williams countered, ”Any of those people have shows on my network on Sunday night?”
“It’s like a big hustle. It’s like being a car salesman,” answered De Niro. “Don’t go out there and say things unless you can back them up. How dare you? That’s awful to do. To just go out there and speak and say these terrible things?”
It’s safe to assume De Niro was talking about the series of interviews Trump has given raising questions about President Obama’s birth certificate. And never one to take allegations laying down, The Donald has responded.
“I like his acting, but in terms of when I watch him doing interviews and various other things, we’re not dealing with Albert Einstein,” Trump told Fox & Friends Monday. “He can say what he wants, but the fact is that this guy has not revealed his birth certificate, a lot of people agree with me.” According to Fox News, Trump went on to say the actor is “not the brightest bulb on the planet.”
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Stick to acting.
Stick to Reality TV.
Talk about burning bridges. Donald Trump is gonna feel really, really small, when this is all over and he needs a favor from a friend or two.
Fishlips /O\ Trump
I thought no one would be worse than Obama. Here comes the clown, aka Donald Trump!
God Bless America.
Donald Trump the orange hair fat CLOWN. Vive la Quebec!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We already had two terms of Bush or did you forget?
You know, I actually kind of hope he /does/ get the nomination, because then it would be so ridiculously easy for Obama to win. If Trump thinks he can run on the platform of an idea that the Supreme Court has denied several times, I greatly look forward to watching him be utterly defeated in the debates.
@Mocha – so, you want Trump to get the nomination because it’s a guarantee that Obama will win a second term? You must not have much faith in your messiah…
@mel: Well, I wouldn’t say Obama’s my “messiah”; I had hoped he would succeed in making more fundamental changes in some areas, such as healthcare and education, but I think he’s doing the best job he can. That being said, it’s not Obama I don’t have faith in–it’s the voters who are backing people like Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin who really frighten me.
What an unflattering picture of Donald “FISH LIPS” Trump !!!
no such thing as a flattering picture — he always looks like a clown
For all you people who think Trump is such a great candidate for president have you taken a close look at him. He can’t make a marriage work (3), he’s been in bankruptcy, and he is involved in reality television show. Is this the person you really think is qualified to be president?
I want a birth certificate for Don’s hair! I don’t think it’s even from this PLANET!
Donald Trump is a freaking bully with thin skin! He is the epitome of dishing it but not being able to take it. We learned this with how he responded to Rosie O’Donnell, Jerry Seinfeld and now Robert DeNiro. Go away Donald! Nobody likes you!
Donald Trump colors his face with an orange crayola crayon. Crayola should sue him because he’s giving the color orange a bad name. And he’s a bankrupt, 2x divorced MESS.
Boehner was already the first Orange-American to rise to political power. Donald’s old news at this point.
speak for yourself Stephen
Well, I give permission for Stephen to speak for me, too.
um, dear Anne, i think Stephen is speaking for himself
He’s speaking for me too.
…and me
You will be suprise how many peoples agree with Donald if HE do not need something to hide HE should unseal his records…..
You are an idiot. The president HAS PROVED HIS BIRTHPLACE OF HAWAII!!!
You are just believing lies and repeating them like all the other brainless “birthers”
I bet you think we never really landed on the moon, too, right? …and 9/11 was a gov’t conspiracy
Its people like you that give humanity a bad name
sejmon — Looks like you could use some education. Read some books (preferbably something other than the Bible) and report back to us with your findings. Thanks.
Also, even if Obama wasn’t born here WTF is anyone going to do about it now? His term is almost over. What a RIDICULOUS thing to waste time and energy on when there are REAL problems in the world!!
I am lucky enough not to know any idiot who agrees with Trump.
I’m not surprised at how many people agree with Donald – incredibly saddened and fairly nauseated, but not surprised…
DeNiro had enough class not to name names, just ask for some facts. Trump and ‘class’ don’t belong in the same sentence.
Bingo!
Suggesting DeNiro isn’t smart only makes his criticism more apt – even a dumb actor knows Trump is full of it.
LOL
They both make some good points about each other
Oh please Shelby – Trumo hasn’t made a good point about anything – other than know where to point his tool and make babies. Other than that he’s so lame. I hope the Republican’s nominate him – it would be AWESOME to watch him go down in flames.
I also hope Republicans nominate him. He’s a truly clueless, classless human being and would represent the republican party perfectly
and hopefully he won’t get elected? what is our country thinking of?!?
Jay,
Trump is no republican. He is a businessman who has no opinion of his own. He only picks side if he sees a business advantage.
He sided with Pelosi and the Democrats a few years back. Using your own argument, he, who was clueless and classless, represented the liberal back perfectly.
The only question is who will his VP be? Donald Jr. or Ivanka?
I really think that all of this is a big act meant to get him and the Tea Party some attention. Trump can’t run, because the second he announces, all of his financial records and business deals will be dug up and it is well known that there are a lot of skeletons in THAT closet. Bankruptcy, allegations of fraud,failed deals where people lost tons of money…he would never survive that.
VP will be whoever wins the celebrity apprentice this season!!
Maybe Star Jones, NeNe, or Meat Loaf.
johnc11: That is hilarious! Truly, that would be great tv. “The Celebrity Vice Presidential Nominee.” The only trouble would be finding enough Republican celebrities.
Trump makes good points about DeNiro??? DeNiro built and owns his own production company, started the tribeca film festival which is hugely successful, he is a very successful producer and director…that doesn’t sound like a “dim bulb” actor to me!
Just a quick kudos on the “You talkin’ to me” picture of DeNiro you picked…and the way you placed them so that it looks like he’s directly giving Trump a WTF look.
You are right to point that out… it is very funny. Great choice they made on that.
Is “the donald” going to whine and bash people whenever someone dares criticizes him. If so, I hope he stays away from trying to be President. What an arrogant person (I was going to say something else, but I have more class than “the donald”)
Seriously – he has to answer everyone who criticizes him with personal attacks on them. I honestly don’t think he does a minute of actual work during his day. I think he just monitors the press for what people are saying about them.
And Donald, you don’t want to go around calling people dumb. Talk about a pot and a kettle.
I was thinking the same thing. Agree x 4. Respond to other politicians, regular Americans and the press. With celebrities the response is “really talented but we have a difference of opinion.”
Mary Anne is right! It’s interesting because people who run and can’t win usually have an agenda. I can’t figure what he really gains; Ratings? For what show, the season will be over. Issues? He already has a platform, and does he really care about anything that much?
He wants ratings for his show and future shows. The fact is the American public loves controversial people. That’s why more people know who Sara Palin is than Bob Dole. Trump learned this with the whole Rosie O’Donnell thing and it was re-affirmed by the nutjobs that keeps printing whenever SP blows her nose. He wants ratings. Ratings = $. Plain and simple.
Too true! He has just about the thinnest skin of any public figure I can think of, which is astonishing considering how long he’s been a punchline.
As much as I would probably agree with Trump’s fiscal policies, he is handling this campaign like an idiot. The whole harping on whether Barry O is a US citizen is ridiculous and irrelevant. Is this all you got, Donald?
could you or anyone explain why it’s irrelevant ?
It’s irrelevant because the man is President already. We are past that.
Secondly, it is a ridiculous law. I would venture to guess that most immigrants who have to take the citizenship exam to become a US Citizen know more than those that were physically born in this country to begin with.
I am not a supporter of Barack Obama, but isn’t there anything else out there to critique on his performance and his qualifications as this country’s leader other than the validity of a birth certificate or more simply put a piece of paper?
This is what we are wasting our time on?
There are immigrants who are now US citizens who have joined the US armed forces to fight for mine and your freedom. I’ll be damned if I say that those heroes are not qualified to lead this country if they carry the necessary qualifications that it takes to lead this country effectively only because they were not born in a building on US soil.
Let’s get our priorities straight here.
Well duh, he wouldn’t be the POTUS!!! That would make the citizens of the US look real stupid don’t you think? D/A/W/B!
It’s irrelevant because it’s been proven that Obama was born in Hawaii and even if he wasn’t, his mother was an American citizen, which means he is too.
Trump is just dragging up old rumors to get himself additional press coverage.
President Obama has published his birth certificate; Hawaiian officials have verified that it is original, and two Hawaiian newspapers have the birth announcements in their arcives. Only a complete idiot would not believe he is a citizen of the United States.
As a life long Long Island moderate republican I’ve got to say to the Donald “Go Away.” You’re an arrogant fool and I’d rather vote for Micky Mouse than you
If Trump is elected president, I am off to Canada.
promise ?
Which would be more depressing:
Trump as Pres or Palin?
hmm…jump off a bridge or shoot yourself in the head?
Too Close- you can still see the damage. Im going to France if any of these bozo’s get elected that are ” currently considering running.”
Hasn’t it been like three weeks with his investigators in Hawaii? They must suck!
@Daily, have you seen Jon Stewart on Trump’s “people” down in Hawaii? It’s hilarious — it’s all about how they’re really down there having pina coladas and bilking The Donald.
It’s the first thing I thought of when Trump mentioned this.
Trump can’t even fire the right celebrities each week from his show. Maybe DeNiro wants to be on celebrity apprentice?
Check out Donald’s blow hole in the picture up there. His mouth is open, ready to insert foot.
How dare Donald Trump question something?
What is the difference between a Certificate of Live Birth (no signature) and a Birth Certificate (motorized or signed)?
They have motorized birth certificates now? Do they follow you around like the robot from short circuit? I need to find out where to get me one of these new fangled Motorized birth certificates. That could come in handy.
Can I get one in a DJ Roomba model?
A “motorized” birth certificate would certainly have come in handy for Obama!
ask the borders of any country othan the usa !
As much as I don’t want Trump as president, he is right. DeNiro is a great actor, but if you’ve ever seen an interview with him, he comes off as an idiot.
Have you ever seen an interview with Trump? give me a break.
And Donald does not sound like an idiot “blowhard” in his interviews?
A blowhard, yes. Not an idiot. You seem to be saying that you don’t agree with the context of what Trump says. That’s fine. But when I say DeNiro sounds like an idiot, I’m saying that he sounds like he doesn’t have a thought of his own.
hilarious. People follow people like Trump around like sheep and then say someone else isn’t thinking on their own. If Trump said Obama was responsible for the rain today would you buy that too?
I’m from NYC and worked with DeNiro during the Tribeca Film Festival. I don’t care how he sounds in an interviews, the man is brilliant! And no, I’m not an actor. (and I don’t play one on TV!)
hey BobLobLaw…DeNiro is responsible for the Tribeca Film Festival, get your facts straight, DeNiro does have great ideas! DeNiro’s thought behind the TFF was to help NYC after 9/11
I kind of despise Donald Trump pray he doesn’t win the nomination but there is one thing he’s said that I agree with-DeNiro (and other actors) aren’t qualified to run this country because they play a president on tv or in the movies. It’s a different skill set and I wish celebrities understood that.
right like Ronald Reagan!
DeNiro isn’t trying to run for president, he’s just stating his opinion. What are Trump’s qualifications? Running his companies into bankruptcies?
Di– please give one piece of evidence stating that DeNiro is trying to run for President, or any office.
what are you talking about? who’s running for president? it’s Trump a man that can’t make a marriage work, has huge insecurities and is reduced to having REALITY tv show. Somehow you give this more qualifications to run a country?
I don’t even get how trump could run for president. Doesn’t there have to be qualifications, like a background in politics to be president.. or now-a-days is it just if you have the money to run, run. Seriously, is there anyone who would really vote him for president?
Sadly, yes.