Veteran actor Robert De Niro will no longer receive a planned award from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) after speaking out against former President Donald Trump outside Trump’s criminal trial in New York. De Niro was set to accept a leadership award from the NAB next week in Washington, D.C.
A spokesperson for the association told American newspaper The Hill that the event is “proudly bipartisan”, and while they support free speech and civic engagement, De Niro’s recent activities would overshadow the philanthropic efforts being recognized.
“To maintain the focus on service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event,” the statement read.
De Niro, a longtime critic of Trump, expressed his support for the NAB Leadership Foundation’s work despite the decision.
“I support the work of the NAB Leadership Foundation and would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for what the Foundation has done and will continue to do for the good of us all, and I wish them well for their continued good work,” De Niro said in a statement reported by The Hill.
In a historic verdict, a panel of 12 Manhattan jurors on Thursday said they unanimously agreed Trump, 77, falsified business records to conceal a USD 130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 US presidential contest.
De Niro, the multiple Oscar-winning actor, recently attended a campaign event for US President Joe Biden outside the Manhattan courtroom with two former law enforcement officers who were at the US Capitol when it was attacked by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.
At the event, De Niro had urged people to not vote for Trump.
“I don’t mean to scare you. No no, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you. If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss away these freedoms that we take for granted, and elections, forget about it … He will never leave,” the longtime supporter of the Democratic Party had said.
(With inputs from PTI)