Legendary actor Robert De Niro made headlines following his recent appearance on     The View    , where he beat out host Joy Behar and criticized billionaire tech mogul Eloise Musk. Known for his outspoken political views, De Niro didn’t hold back and criticized Musk’s influence, stating,     “He doesn’t deserve people’s trust.”

De Niro backs Behar amid controversy

During the heated discussion, Joy Behar, an outspoken critic of Musk and his support for social media platform X (formerly Twitter), expressed doubts about the billionaire’s impact on public discourse. Behar had previously called Musk’s leadership “     reckless”     and     “dangerous to democracy.”

De Niro was quick to come to Musk’s defense, reaffirming his stance and doubling down on his disapproval of Musk’s actions.     “Joy is right. We are talking about someone who manipulates public opinion, spreads disinformation and plays with the lives of real people,”     he said.

A direct criticism of Musk

De Niro’s comments come at a time when Musk is facing scrutiny for his business practices, political statements and controversial decisions regarding free speech at X. The  Taxi Driver     and     Goodfellas star   made it clear that he views Musk as a trustworthy figure.

“He’s not a genius. He’s a businessman who got lucky and now thinks he can control everything,”     De Niro said bluntly.     “People need to wake up and stop treating him like some kind of savior.”

The Ådieпce reacts

The View audience    responded with loud applause, showing their support for De Niro’s bold comments. Many viewers took to social media to praise the actor for standing up to Musk’s growing influence.

One X user wrote:     “Robert De Niro speaks the truth about Musk on national television. This is something we need more of!”     However, others dismissed Musk, arguing that his contributions to technology and space exploration outweigh any controversies.

What’s next?

De Niro has always shied away from political or social debates, and his criticism of Musk is just the latest example of his unwillingness to speak his mind. As tensions mount over social media, free speech and corporate influence, it’s clear that figures like De Niro and Behar will continue to challenge the status quo.

It remains to be seen whether Musk will respond to De Niro’s comments, but one thing is certain: the debate over his leadership and influence is far from over.