President Trump’s critic, Robert De Niro, an Oscar-winning actor, has given a fiery criticism of the Trump administration’s policies and warned that attempts to limit voting through the SAVE America Act could silence Americans at a time when the country is involved in expensive wars overseas.
During his appearance at a Chris Hayes-hosted event that aired on Thursday, March 19, De Niro took direct aim at the SAVE America Act, the Republican-backed legislation requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.
He presented the bill as part of a wider strategy to suppress turnout ahead of the 2026 midterms, potentially shielding the administration from accountability over decisions like escalating military action against Iran.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent; no one voted for new wars,” De Niro said.
“No one voted for higher prices at the pump. No one voted for higher grocery prices. No one voted for higher prices in the housing market. No one voted for deporting our good neighbors, and no one voted for government-masked thugs shooting down our citizens in the streets,” he said in relation to what many Americans are facing.
His remarks come as the United States remains deeply involved in the ongoing Iran conflict, now in its third week under Operation Epic Fury.
U.S. and Israeli strikes have been targeting Iranian military sites, missile facilities, and naval assets following the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in late February.
Also Read: Trump Threatens Congress Ahead of SAVE America Act Vote
Trump has defended the campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear bombs, and to dismantle Tehran’s regional influence.
However, mounting costs, billions in military spending, rising fuel prices from disrupted oil markets, and American casualties have driven domestic unease.
De Niro linked these complaints directly to the power of the ballot box, saying that the SAVE America Act’s strict rules, such as requiring birth certificates, passports, or other citizenship documents to register, would unfairly burden regular voters.
Trump’s SAVE America Act ripped.
He noted that ordinary Americans are already struggling with financial consequences from the war and administration policies, and should not be burdened further by the SAVE America Act.
The actor called the law a way to “nationalize elections” in ways that help those in power. He gave examples like requiring people to re-register, hiring private security at polling places, and aggressively removing people from the voter rolls.
Supporters of the bill, including Trump, say it stops noncitizens from voting and makes elections fair again. But opponents call it a modern “poll tax” that could keep millions of people without easy access to paperwork from voting.
De Niro’s words showed that many Democrats are worried that the administration is using changes to the electoral process to deflect criticism of problems at home and abroad.
Gas prices have gone up because of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, grocery and housing costs are still hard on families, and mass deportation efforts have led to protests and reports of problems in the community.
Mixed reactions
People had different reactions to the event, which was streamed and widely shared on social media. Some people praised De Niro for being honest about what they think is too much power in the hands of the president.
On the other hand, some people thought he was just another Hollywood star who didn’t know what was going on with national security.
Ahead of the looming midterms, the actor urged voters not to let procedural barriers drown out their voices on the issues that matter most to them.
