Actress Amy Poehler made Robert De Niro emotional on Tuesday as she thanked him for being so vocal, as the actor is a regular critic of President Donald Trump and his administration.
asserted
actor → make → Trump
Poehler thanked De Niro during an interview on her podcast, "Good Hang," telling the actor, "I just personally want to thank you for doing what you do and speaking out in the way that you do about where we are in the world.
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we → thank → world
There's a lot of people that are asked to speak truth to power, and they're usually members of the margins.
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they → be → margins
"
"To see a person like yourself, the age that you are and the status that you are, it reminds me of – the best way I can describe it is when it's like if someone's giving a terrible speech at a wedding, and they're ruining the wedding, and the wedding is America and there's another adult who says like, 'We don't talk like that.
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We → see → that
That's not how you're supposed to treat people.
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you → suppose → people
This is insane,'" she added, telling De Niro it made everyone feel "safe."
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everyone → add → Niro
De Niro grew teary-eyed as he thanked her for her words.
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he → grow → words
The actress told De Niro he was standing up for a lot of people who don't have the same kind of power he does.
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he → tell → power
It is," she said.
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she → say → ?
"There's not a lot of men who, in your position, who do that and White men of a certain age, like who, frankly, you know, have a ton of power and don't use that responsibility in a way that they could.
uncertain
they → be → way
So, thank you," Poehler said.
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Poehler → thank → you
De Niro told Poehler that it was "so upsetting" to see what was happening in the U.S., and added, "It's so crazy."
"I mean, in a way, that's better that it's so blatant, because this will happen again, and this guy will influence people, and they'll come up, and they'll say, 'Well, I can do it this way or that way.'
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I → tell → it
And we have to always be on guard with what's happening now," De Niro said.
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Niro → have → guard
The actor told Poehler people had to fight, even if they feel hopeless.
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they → tell → Poehler
Christian Toto, editor of Hollywood in Toto, told Fox News Digital in a statement, "Amy Poehler is one of our most talented comic actresses.
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Poehler → tell → actresses
Her work on 'Parks and Recreation' alone proves it.
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work → prove → it
"What Robert De Niro has done over the last decade is nothing less than beclown himself over all things Trump.
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done → do → things
His ill-informed, one-note attacks on the President are embarrassing.
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attacks → inform → President
He's done nothing to raise the level of discourse, and using every bully pulpit to rage against a political leader has made many look askance at his otherwise sterling film career," he continued.
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he → do → career
"He's neither brave nor inspired.
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He → inspire → ?
He's simply regurgitating what all his peers think and say.
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peers → regurgitate → what
And many say what he says, but often in a slightly more coherent tone.
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he → say → tone
He should know better.
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He → know → ?
And Poehler should understand how badly the Oscar winner's ravings land with the public."
De Niro grew emotional over the state of the country during a February 2026 interview with Nicolle Wallace on her podcast, "The Best People."
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Niro → understand → podcast
Wallace told him he played a big role as one of Trump's most outspoken celebrity critics.
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he → tell → critics
After accusing Trump officials of not respecting many of America’s law enforcement institutions, she asked the 82-year-old actor what he worries about for New York under the ongoing Trump administration.
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he → accuse → administration
He voiced concern that there would be a campaign of retribution against the people of New York, such as sending in ICE agents.
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He → voice → agents
"People have to resist, resist, resist, resist, resist.
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People → have → ?
There's no nothing – people are not going to go away, even if Trump dies for some reason by having an illness or something," he warned.
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he → be → illness
It has to be neutralized by the people."
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It → have → people
Wallace followed by recalling an Academy Award speech he gave in 1981, when he thanked the people he worked with, saying he has continually lifted people up around him.
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he → follow → him
When she asked him why he emphasized lifting people up around him so much, he went right back to politics.
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he → ask → politics
"You have to," he said, starting to cry.
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he → have → ?
"You have to lift people up.
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You → have → people
You have to bring them together.
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You → have → them
You can't divide people.
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You → divide → people
You can't win that way.
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You → win → ?
De Niro claimed in June that he can't love an America led by Trump.
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he → claim → Trump
The Aporia
