Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, and Bette Midler led a star-studded lineup at the Rise Up, Sing Out concert in New York City on Sunday night, delivering fierce criticism of President Donald Trump and his administration's policies. The event, organized by the Committee for the First Amendment, aimed to defend free speech and push back against what speakers described as government overreach.
De Niro's Blunt Remarks
Robert De Niro opened the evening with a sharp jab: "Good evening, everyone, and welcome to all of you who couldn't get tickets to the White House cage fights." The actor, fresh from his Tribeca Film Festival duties, did not hold back in his assessment of Trump. "I don't love a country that's led by a racist, misogynist, xenophobic tyrant," he declared. When referencing Trump's recent comment about not thinking about Americans' financial situation, De Niro responded with a profanity-laced retort that the audience enthusiastically chanted.
Fonda's Advocacy
Jane Fonda, who revived the Committee for the First Amendment in 2025, spoke passionately about the threats to free expression. "The government and its cronies are routinely violating the first amendment to silence artists, shuttering institutions like the Kennedy Center and defunding museums," she said. Fonda highlighted the historical significance of the venue, Manhattan's Town Hall, which was chosen for its ties to the suffragette movement. She also noted that the event coincided with the White House's controversial UFC match, calling the current administration "the un-American Activities Committee."
Performances and Speeches
The concert featured musical performances by Rufus Wainwright, who sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and Patti Smith, who energized the crowd with her protest anthem "People Have the Power." Bette Midler delivered a rousing rendition of Woody Guthrie's "All You Fascists Bound to Lose," with updated lyrics including "We're gonna win the midterms, we're coming for his ass." Midler expressed her gratitude to the audience, saying, "I feel like I'm part of a community that is so bright, so intelligent, so well meaning, and so desperate for justice."
Lily Gladstone, who was raised on a Blackfeet Reservation, addressed the Native American experience, noting that the current era of division is not new for Indigenous peoples. Julia Roberts recited a poem by Amanda Gorman in memory of Renée Good, a 37-year-old woman killed by ICE in Minneapolis. Wilson Cruz and RuPaul's Drag Race star Peppermint highlighted LGBTQ+ issues, with Peppermint stating, "Trans children who should be living openly in their truth are intimidated by a government that cares more about censoring their bodies than feeding them."
Diverse Voices
The event also included formerly detained children leading the audience in song, and a trio of faith leaders. Rabbi Rachel Tomoner from Congregation Beth Elohim emphasized the importance of religious freedom, saying, "These two ideas, the freedom to practice our religion and the freedom from religion, are essential to our safety and our belonging in America."
As the night concluded, Fonda urged supporters to take action, including calling representatives to block the Paramount and Warner Bros merger. "We have sung out, and now it's time for us to rise up," she said to cheers.
