CNN host Chris Wallace joined his colleagues on CNN News Central on Friday to promote his latest episode of HBO Max's Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace with actor Robert De Niro. In both shows, Wallace marveled at De Niro labeling Trump a “gangster” and claimed that the accusation means more coming from him because he has played gangsters in movies.
Wallace also admitted that he did not seek out De Niro, but rather that De Niro sought him out and that he obliged, “Well, what stood out is the fact that, frankly, people come on my show, our shows, because, actors do, because they have something they want to promote. Robert De Niro had nothing he wanted to promote. He just wanted to talk politics and he really wanted to take down Donald Trump. Take a look.”
In the preview clip, Wallace asked, “You really worry that if he were to win again, and I'm not saying this like it's such a far-fetched notion, if he were to win again, that he would not give up power?”
De Niro replied, “You know, he won't, you know he won't. He even said it. He's never going to give it up. And anybody who deludes themselves and thinking that he is—shame on you.”
Wallce then turned to gangsterism, “You have compared the Trump family to a gangster family, which is something coming from you. What do you mean by that?”
As it was, De Niro proceeded to take the claim one step further and assert that Trump is actually worse than a gangster because at least gangsters have honor, “Well, they are because he thinks he's a gangster. He does everything like a gangster. I don't think that gangsters in that world would want, think much of him because you, in any, there's honor among thieves, there's honor in anything, if you don't keep your word and do the right thing with people, no matter what profession you're in, you are going to get ostracized and in that world is a little harder.”
Wallace followed up, “Yeah, it’s more than being ostracized. Well, when you say that they are gangsters, in what way?”
De Niro claimed, “He thinks he's a gangster. He thinks, 'I do something for you. You do something for me.'"
Back live, Wallace repeated what he said in the clip, “You know, that's what I found. So fascinating. Sara, here is Robert De Niro, perhaps the most famous gangster actor in the world, saying that the gangsters, he knows, and he admits he knows some members of the mob and has certainly come across them in his 50 years of acting in New York City. He says, they would have nothing to do with Donald Trump.”
What’s next? Asking Tom Hanks what it is like to be a soldier?
Here is a transcript for the September 13 show:
CNN News Central
9/13/2024
9:42 AM ET
CHRIS WALLACE: Well, what stood out is the fact that, frankly, people come on my show, our shows, because, actors do, because they have something they want to promote. Robert De Niro had nothing he wanted to promote. He just wanted to talk politics and he really wanted to take down Donald Trump. Take a look.
WALLACE [IN WHO’S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE]: You really worry that if he were to win again, and I'm not saying this like it's such a far-fetched notion, if he were to win again, that he would not give up power?
ROBERT DE NIRO: You know, he won't, you know he won't. He even said it. He's never going to give it up. And anybody who deludes themselves and thinking that he is—shame on you.
WALLACE: You have compared the Trump family to a gangster family, which is something coming from you. What do you mean by that?
DE NIRO: Well, they are because he thinks he's a gangster. He does everything like a gangster. I don't think that gangsters in that world would want, think much of him because you, in any, there's honor among thieves, there's honor in anything, if you don't keep your word and do the right thing with people, no matter what profession you're in, you are going to get ostracized and in that world is a little harder.
WALLACE: Yeah, it’s more than being ostracized. Well, when you say that they are gangsters, in what way?
DE NIRO: He thinks he's a gangster. He thinks, "I do something for you. You do something for me."
WALLACE [LIVE]: You know, that's what I found. So fascinating. Sara, here is Robert De Niro, perhaps the most famous gangster actor in the world, saying that the gangsters, he knows, and he admits he knows some members of the mob and has certainly come across them in his 50 years of acting in New York City. He says, they would have nothing to do with Donald Trump.
