Legendary actor Robert De Niro made headlines after his recent appearance on      The View     , where he took down 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 supports Behar amid controversy

During the heated exchange, 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 has previously called Musk’s leadership “      reckless”      and      “dangerous to democracy.”

De Niro was quick to defend Musk, reaffirming his position and doubling down on his disapproval of Musk’s actions.      “Joy is right. This is a man who is manipulating public opinion, spreading misinformation and playing with the lives of real people,”      he said.

A direct criticism of Musk

De Niro’s comments come as Musk has come under fire for his business practices, political statements and controversial free speech decisions at X. The  Taxi Driver      and      Goodfellas star    has made it clear that he sees 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.”

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 tells the truth about Musk on national TV. This is something we need more of!”      Others, however, dismissed Musk, arguing that his contributions to technology and space exploration outweigh any controversy.

What comes next?

De Niro has long avoided political or social debates, and his criticism of Musk is just the latest example of his reluctance to speak his mind. As tensions rise around 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.