Robert De Niro has taken a bold stance against Elon Musk, using his appearance on The View to call out the billionaire while defending longtime host Joy Behar. The Oscar-winning actor didn’t hold back, making it clear that he does not believe Musk is someone the public should trust.
The heated exchange began when Behar brought up Musk’s controversial decisions at X (formerly Twitter), including his stance on free speech and business practices. De Niro, visibly frustrated, responded, “He’s reckless. He plays with power like it’s a toy. He does not deserve people’s trust, and I stand by that.”
De Niro further criticized Musk’s influence on politics and media, arguing that his control over social platforms gives him an unfair ability to shape public discourse. He praised Behar for standing up to Musk’s growing influence, insisting that more people in Hollywood and the media should challenge his actions.
Musk has yet to respond, but his followers quickly fired back on social media, accusing De Niro and The View of pushing an anti-Musk agenda. Meanwhile, supporters of De Niro applauded his willingness to speak out against one of the most powerful figures in tech.
With both Musk and De Niro known for their outspoken personalities, many are wondering if this clash will escalate—or if Musk will brush off the comments and continue doing business as usual. Either way, the debate over his influence isn’t going away anytime soon.
