Robert De Niro has been denied a prestigious award after giving a speech in which he called Donald Trump a “clown” and “dictator” outside the former president’s trial.
The 80-year-old actor participated on Tuesday in an event organized by Democrats in front of the New York court, where Triumph was being tried on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up an affair before the 2016 presidential election.
Before the Manhattan Criminal Court, De Niro attacked the Republican: calling him a “monster” – and argued with Trump supporters whom he called “gangsters.”
‘Trump is a monster,’ De Niro tells Sky News
However, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) decided to rescind a bid to award De Niro with the Leadership Foundation’s Service to America award, which he was to receive on Tuesday.
A spokesperson said in a statement that the event at which the actor would have received the award “is proudly bipartisan and unites people from across the political spectrum to celebrate the impactful work of local broadcasters and our partners.”
They added: “While we strongly support the right of all Americans to exercise free speech and engage in civic engagement, it is clear that Mr. De Niro’s recent high-profile activities will create a distraction from the philanthropic work we hoped to recognize.
“To maintain the focus on serving the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer attend the event.”
De Niro responded in a statement to the American media The Hill and said he supports the NAB. And he added: “I wish them the best for their continued good work.”
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Accompanied Tuesday by two former law enforcement officers who were at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot three years ago, De Niro said of Trump: “He doesn’t belong in my city.”
He also warned that if Trump were re-elected in November, “I can tell you right now he will never go away.”
Trump called De Niro “pathetic” on social media after his outburst.
It was later found unanimously guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York to cover up “hush money” payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
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He is the first former president of the United States to be criminally convicted. He maintains that he is innocent and says will appeal the verdict.
Responding to the verdict, De Niro told Variety that “justice was done” while on the red carpet for his new film Ezra.
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