While accepting an honorary lifetime achievement award at the Spanish Academy Goya Awards on Saturday evening, Richard Gere lashed out at President Donald Trump, calling him a “bully and a thug.”
On stage at the Palacio de Congresos de Granada, flanked by Antonio Banderas, who presented him with the award, Gere took a break from discussing the craft of acting to express his unhappiness with some changes he’s noticed in the world.
“[I see] this very foolish tribalism is starting to take over, where we think we’re all separate from each other. We have, unfortunately, elected officials that don’t inspire us in the way we want to be inspired,” he said. “We are in a very dark place in America where we have a bully and a thug who is the president of the United States,” he continued, pausing to allow the majority of the crowd to applaud loudly.
“But it’s not just in the U.S., it’s everywhere,” he warned, adding, “We have to be vigilant.”
Gere’s comments on Saturday evening echoed sentiments he shared on Friday during a pre-awards press conference: “America is experiencing a dark time, and the time has come for people to stand up. We must be vigilant about this dark marriage of money and power. It is irresponsible and corrosive that there are millionaires in charge of the United States, [it’s] a danger to the whole planet.”
“The millionaire clowns surrounding Trump are immature and narcissistic, a deadly mix,” he cautioned.
While Gere, who recently moved to Spain with his Galician wife Alejandra Silva, used much of his time to address contemporary social issues, he also discussed his love for stories and actors. He shared his gratitude for the career achievement award, although he admitted he felt it came a bit too early.
“This is a wonderful encouragement. These lifetime achievement awards are always, I think, a little premature,” Gere said. “I have a lot more I expect to do.”
