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2016 video of Robert De Niro calling Trump a 'dog' and 'punk' goes viral again
Clip calling Trump a ‘punk’ goes viral as supporters mock the Robert De Niro's box-office slump and tax woes.
A 2016 video of actor Robert De Niro fiercely criticising Donald Trump has gained traction on X, reigniting debate and polarising fans and critics alike.
The clip was reposted by Joe Rogan Podcast News on November 10, 2025 and has surpassed 700,000 views and reminding the public of De Niro’s long-running political commentary.
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What does the Viral clip say?
In the video, when prompted “What do you care about?”, De Niro unleashes a barrage of insults on Trump, saying, “He’s a punk. He’s a dog. He’s a pig. He’s a con... a bullshit artist.”
The footage, filmed for the 2016 #VoteYourFuture campaign, was later released independently by producers after being deemed too partisan for the original publication. The clip’s re-emergence now has both sides of the culture war weighing in.
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Why are Trump supporters dragging De Niro's career?
Trump supporters seized the moment to highlight De Niro’s career setbacks in 2023 and pointed to his last film, The Alto Knight, which reportedly lost over US$350 million at the box office.
Others resurrected citations of his 2015 US$6.4 million IRS tax lien as evidence of the actor’s waning influence.
Meanwhile, De Niro's fans argued that he has long been a conscience voice in Hollywood. As The Guardian reported, he recently described Trump as a “bully” and “would-be king” who “wants to take it away” in the context of democracy.
“We cannot let up on him because he is not going to leave the White House. He does not want to leave the White House. He will not leave the White House. Anybody [who] thinks, ‘Oh, he’ll do this, he’ll do that,’ is just deluding themselves,” De Niro said during the No King's Protest in October.
