Actor Robert De Niro led a crowd in chanting against President Donald Trump during a New York City concert on June 14, 2026 [1].

The outburst highlights the deepening divide between the U.S. entertainment industry and the presidency, occurring on the same day the president celebrated his 80th birthday [2].

De Niro appeared at the “Rise Up, Sing Out” First Amendment concert held at New York City Town Hall [3]. The event took place immediately following the 25th annual Tribeca Film Festival [3]. During the performance, the 82-year-old actor directed an attack at the president, calling him a “racist tyrant” [3, 4].

At one point, De Niro shouted, “Shut the f*** up!” to the crowd [3]. He also said, “We need to love our country again” [2].

These remarks served as a reaction to recent statements made by President Trump regarding the financial struggles of everyday Americans [3]. De Niro also targeted the president's birthday-themed “cage-fight” stunt, which he called a “tacky spectacle” [5].

While some reports describe the event as a public rally, others specify it as a concert setting [3, 4]. Regardless of the venue's formal designation, the actor used the platform to protest the broader rhetoric of the administration [3].

“"Shut the f*** up!"”

The timing of De Niro's protest—coinciding with the president's 80th birthday—amplifies the personal nature of the conflict between the actor and the politician. By utilizing a First Amendment-themed event to deliver these critiques, De Niro is framing his opposition not just as a political disagreement, but as a defense of constitutional expression against what he characterizes as tyrannical leadership.