Robert De Niro Slams Trump's ‘Unacceptable' Movie Tariffs at Cannes Film Festival Opening Ceremony
Robert De Niro used his Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or acceptance speech to address President Donald Trump's promise to impose 100% tariffs on the films shot outside of the U.S., saying the issue should concern the world – not just American filmmakers.
'Now, he has announced a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S. Let that sink in for a minute. You can't put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it,' De Niro said, who took the stage to receive an honorary Palme d'Or award.
He went on to call on attendees and others watching to take a peaceful stand against Trump's political missions.
'Of course, this is unacceptable. All these attacks are unacceptable, and this isn't just an American problem. It's a global one. And like a film, we can't just all sit back and watch,' De Niro, who's never shied away from sharing his thoughts about Trump, said. 'We have to act now. Without violence, but with great passion and determination. It's time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest, and when there are elections, of course to vote. Tonight, and for the next 11 days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival.'
Cannes Film Festival Jury President Juliette Binoche also shared her thoughts on Trump's tariff plans, which she referred to as the president's way of rescuing the country and his own behind.
'I understand that Trump is trying to protect,' Binoche said before a group reporters during Cannes's opening press conference. 'For us, we have a strong community of filmmaking on our continent in Europe … I don't know what to say — I can see that he's fighting to save America and to save his ass.'
She added that she's not 'acceptable to answer' questions related to Trump's interest in considering TV and film tariffs for projects shot overseas.
Back on May 4, Trump announced plans to enforce a 100% tariff on films produced outside of the country, mentioning in a Truth Social post that the United State's film industry is 'dying a very fast' death because of the incentives foreign countries offer filmmakers to shoot on their land.
Strong, who is among the nine members of the festival's 2025 Cannes Competition jury, and starred as Trump's former advisor Roy Cohn in the 2024 film 'The Apprentice,' didn't weigh in Trump's tariffs plans, but shared that the real-figure he played helped pave the way for Trump's entry into the White House.
'Roy Cohn is the progenitor of fake news and alternative facts, and we're living in the aftermath of what he created,' Strong said.
He continued: 'I think that at a time when truth is under assault, where truth is becoming an endangered thing, the role of stories and cinema here at the temple of film; the role of film is incredibly critical. It can combat that entropy and communicate individual truths, societal truths, and affirm our shared humanity. What I'm doing here this year is in a way to counterbalance what Roy Cohn was doing last year.'
Cannes Director Thierry Fremaux also chimed in, saying film and TV will find a way to overcome Trump's proposed tariffs.
'Cinema always finds a way of existing and reinventing itself,' Fremaux said. 'The idea that American Cinema would be penalized by foreign countries, I think that is an idea worth discussing.'The post Robert De Niro Slams Trump's 'Unacceptable' Movie Tariffs at Cannes Film Festival Opening Ceremony appeared first on TheWrap.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
7 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump administration briefed lawmakers before Israeli strikes
Trump administration officials provided classified briefings for congressional leaders before Israel struck Iran yesterday, with more planned for next week when lawmakers return to Washington, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Briefing key lawmakers is a matter of protocol. But it's also a way for the White House to guard against second-guessing from Congress, especially if U.S. forces are targeted by Iran and the conflict turns into a broader war. In briefings with senior members of Congress, White House officials have told them the administration isn't involved and doesn't think Israel attacking Iran is the appropriate thing to do at the moment, a U.S. official told Axios' Barak Ravid. Driving the news: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) received briefings before the strikes began, according to people familiar with the matter. "Pursuant to federal law, I expect to receive a high-level briefing on the unfolding situation in the Middle East from the administration expeditiously," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. "However, in advance of that briefing, there are core principles that remain foundational in the Middle East theater, one of the toughest neighborhoods in the world," Jeffries said. Zoom in: Members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence expect to be briefed by administration officials when senators return to Washington Monday afternoon, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Intel staff were briefed this morning, with a second briefing planned for this afternoon. Zoom out: The White House wants to ensure that Congress has real-time and accurate information on Israeli's strikes against Iran as well as Iranian response. In public, Trump officials have been clear that the U.S. did not participate In Israel's first round of attacks, which targeted Iran's military leadership and its nuclear facilities. What they're saying: Many lawmakers voiced their support for Israel, but others raised their concerns about where the conflict might head. "I applaud the bravery and audacity of Prime Minister Netanyahu, the IDF, and the Mossad. And I commend President Trump for his consistent support for Israel and opposition to Iran's nuclear program," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), the Senate Intel Chair, said on X. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said: "Israel's strikes against Iran represent an escalation that is deeply concerning and will inevitably invite counterattacks."
7 minutes ago
Protests live updates: Marines spotted guarding federal building in LA
Marines are now on duty in Los Angeles for the first time. 3:32 Tensions are escalating between President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue to grip Los Angeles and spread to New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Austin, Texas, and other cities. Trump deployed about 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to LA against Newsom's wishes. A federal appeals court Thursday delayed an order requiring the Trump administration to return control of the National Guard to Newsom, dealing the administration a temporary reprieve to what would have been a major reversal of its policy on the protests. 6 Updates Jun 12, 2025, 5:13 PM EDT Missouri governor activates National Guard in 'proactive approach' to protests Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced in a press release on Thursday that he is activating the Missouri National Guard as a precaution amid "recent instances of civil unrest across the country." The governor's actions come as anti-ICE protests have spread from Los Angeles to New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Austin, Texas and other cities across the U.S. Ahead of President Donald Trump's Army parade in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, officials have warned of "No Kings" protests planned in cities across the country as well. "We respect, and will defend, the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or lawlessness in our state. While other states may wait for chaos to ensue, the State of Missouri is taking a proactive approach in the event that assistance is needed to support local law enforcement in protecting our citizens and communities," Kehoe said in the statement. Kehoe's statement did not mention specific planned protests the governor's office is monitoring or the protests in Los Angeles. The coalition running the "No Kings" protests set for Saturday, however, is promoting protests in Missouri; the coalition has asked participants to keep the protests nonviolent and to de-escalate any confrontations between protesters and others. -ABC News' Oren Oppenheim Jun 12, 2025, 3:16 PM EDT Noem calls for undocumented immigrants to self-deport or get arrested Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is calling for undocumented immigrants to self-deport. 'If you wait until we have to arrest you, you will never get to be an American, much less live here and work here and be able to pursue the American dream,' she threatened. Jun 12, 2025, 3:04 PM EDT DOJ leadership orders prosecutors to be on alert this weekend for potential violence Top leaders at the Justice Department issued a directive to prosecutors around the country to be prepared to file charges over the weekend in the event of violence or "obstruction" of police at protests planned in several major cities. The memo to all 93 U.S. Attorney's Offices, which was reviewed by ABC News, outlined several potentially relevant criminal statutes that prosecutors could consider applying to violent actors at protests. Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh said the federal government will have "zero tolerance" for acts of "rioting, looting, arson, destruction of property, assaults on officers ... and obstruction of federal immigration efforts." "Push out press releases whenever you file charges in these matters," the memo said. "We will not stop enforcing the law and we will not be deterred from keeping our districts safe."
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US should stay out of war in Middle East: Retired colonel
(NewsNation) — Following Israeli strikes on Iran, one retired military officer told NewsNation the U.S. should stay out of the fight. Iran has already vowed retaliation and the U.S. has shifted military assets into the region in case they are needed. Retired Lt. Col. Daniel Davis told NewsNation that the path forward depends on whether Iran chooses to prioritize revenge or regime survival, with revenge being the more dangerous option. Rubio: US 'not involved' in Israel's strike inside Iran 'Iran can bring substantial damage to Israel if they choose to go down the path of revenge, because then they're not going to be concerned about what happens next,' he said. 'They're going to be concerned about how much damage they can cause in the meantime.' Iran could consider the U.S. involved in the attack because it had forewarning and because the country supplies military aid to Israel. 'I will just categorically say that no matter what happens in terms of Israel and Iran, we should not get involved,' Davis said. 'It is not our war to fight. It shouldn't have started at all, and we should not sacrifice American troops, which we surely would do if we get into a fight there.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
