Robert De Niro is permanently barred from X by Elon Musk, who says there is “no room for his woke presence.”

In an unexpected development that has swept the IT and entertainment sectors, Elon Musk has formally declared that.

The renowned actor Robert De Niro would no longer be able to use the social networking site X (previously known as Twitter) going forward.

This contentious decision, which Musk claims is required to preserve the platform’s “aesthetic,” has spurred intense discussion on celebrity culture, freedom of speech, and the widening gap between opposing ideologies in public life.

In reference to De Niro’s vocal criticism of a range of social and political topics in recent years, Musk, who is well-known for his unrepentant use of social media and his penchant for divisive remarks, went to X to say, “No room for his woke presence.”

Both Musk and De Niro have already voiced opposing opinions on issues ranging from business ethics to climate change, so their disagreement is not wholly new.

Musk, whose business endeavors include SpaceX and Tesla, has often adopted a more libertarian stance, supporting technical independence and calling for less government involvement.

US presidential election: remote duel between Robert De Niro and Elon Musk

After actor Robert De Niro compared Donald Trump to dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Elon Musk came to the former US president’s defense.

After actor Robert De Niro compared Donald Trump to dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Elon Musk came to the former US president’s defense. © SIPA US/ Stephen Lovekin

On Thursday, May 2, Robert De Niro was a guest on The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle . Asked about the upcoming presidential election, which will take place in November, the actor said that Donald Trump was ” sick ” and ” narcissistic ,” going so far as to compare him to dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

An excerpt broadcast on X that caused a strong reaction, particularly from the owner of the social network. Elon Musk defended the former president of the United States, saying that he ” had no resemblance ” to the two dictators and that these remarks made ” no sense “. ” Trump had actually already been president for four years and his policies were nothing like Hitler’s, so it makes no sense ,” he argued.

Robert De Niro, self-proclaimed anti-Trump

To support his argument, Elon Musk drew a parallel between Donald Trump’s global policy and that of Adolf Hitler, particularly with regard to conflicts in the Middle East. ” With the Abraham Accords, he made progress towards peace in the Middle East, which was certainly not a priority on Hitler’s agenda ,” he quipped.

This isn’t the first time Robert De Niro has publicly expressed his anti-Trump stance. The actor has compared his role as the antagonist in Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) to Donald Trump, saying they both have a ” sense of entitlement ” that motivates their evil actions. ” It’s the banality of evil, and we’re seeing it now with… I’m not going to say his name because that guy is stupid ,” he said at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2018, on stage at the Tony Awards, he also said, ” I’m going to say one thing: F*ck Trump! ”