Robert De Niro has been denied a prestigious award after making a controversial speech outside Donald Trump’s trial. The 80-year-old actor spoke at a Democrat-organized event near the New York court where Trump faced charges of falsifying business records to conceal an affair before the 2016 election.

During his speech outside Manhattan Criminal Court, De Niro criticized Trump, calling him a “clown,” a “dictator,” and a “monster.” He also engaged in heated exchanges with Trump supporters, labeling them “gangsters.”

Controversy and Consequences

As a result, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) rescinded their offer to award De Niro the Leadership Foundation’s Service to America Award, which he was scheduled to receive on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the NAB stated that the event aims to unite people across the political spectrum to celebrate the work of local broadcasters and their partners, and De Niro’s recent activities would distract from this focus.

The spokesperson emphasized their support for free speech and civic engagement but noted that De Niro’s actions were too high-profile to ignore. To keep the attention on the service of the award winners, the decision was made to exclude De Niro from the event.

In response, De Niro expressed his support for the NAB’s decision in a statement to The Hill, wishing them well in their continued philanthropic efforts.