In a fiery outburst that has set tongues wagging, Hollywood legend Robert De Niro unleashed a scathing tirade against Elon Musk during a promotional event for his upcoming film on April 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. The 81-year-old actor, never one to shy from controversy, didn’t hold back, mocking the Tesla CEO’s recent setbacks and branding him a “lousy bastard” who’s finally facing his comeuppance. The venomous remarks, caught on video and spreading like wildfire on X, have reignited debates about Musk’s polarizing persona. What sparked De Niro’s wrath, and why is this clash captivating the public?
De Niro’s comments came amid Musk’s tumultuous week, with Tesla’s stock dipping 8% after tariff-related losses and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) role drawing fire for slashing $2 trillion in federal programs. At the event, a reporter asked De Niro about Musk’s influence, prompting a smirk and a blistering response: “That guy? He deserves this mess—running his mouth, wrecking things. Lousy bastard thinks he’s untouchable.” The crowd gasped, some cheering, as De Niro doubled down, accusing Musk of “playing God” with tech and politics while “screwing over regular people.”
The outburst taps into Musk’s growing list of adversaries. His DOGE cuts, targeting agencies like the Department of Education, have sparked protests, while Tesla’s valuation—down to $1.2 trillion—reflects investor jitters. De Niro, a vocal progressive, has clashed with Musk before, notably calling him “a con” in 2023 over X’s misinformation policies. Sources close to the actor say Musk’s ties to controversial figures and his “free speech absolutism” grate on De Niro, who sees him as undermining democracy. X posts amplify the feud, with #DeNiroVsMusk trending as clips rack up 20 million views—some hailing De Niro’s candor, others slamming him as a “washed-up elitist.”
Musk’s response was predictably defiant. Tweeting from his verified X account, he quipped, “De Niro’s got a script for drama, but I’m building the future. Sad!” The jab, liked 1.3 million times, rallied his base, who flooded replies with memes of De Niro’s iconic roles—Travis Bickle captioned “You talkin’ to Elon?” Yet, Musk’s flippancy belies pressure: SpaceX faces a probe over Starlink’s military use, and Neuralink’s trials are stalled. De Niro’s “salt in the wound” hits hard, exposing Musk’s vulnerability as critics pile on.
The clash reflects broader cultural divides. De Niro, an Oscar winner with a $500 million fortune, embodies Hollywood’s old guard, wary of tech moguls reshaping society. Musk, worth $400 billion, thrives on disruption, casting himself as a rebel against establishment figures like De Niro. Their war of words—raw, personal, unfiltered—mirrors America’s split over innovation versus tradition. Will Musk shrug off the insult, as he’s done with lawsuits, or has De Niro struck a nerve?
For now, the saga fuels headlines, with De Niro’s barbs echoing louder than Musk’s tweets. As the actor basks in applause and Musk plots his next move, one thing’s clear: this Hollywood-tech showdown is peak 2025 drama, and neither icon is backing down.
