NEED TO KNOW

  • Richard Gere criticized President Trump at the Oslo Freedom Forum Tuesday
  • He spoke while presenting the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent
  • No response to the remarks has been issued by the White House

OSLO, NO (TDR) — Actor Richard Gere criticized President Donald Trump during an appearance at the Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway on Tuesday.

The big picture: Richard Gere is a longtime human rights activist whose advocacy spans decades, and his Oslo appearance placed his political commentary alongside an annual award for imprisoned dissidents and artists.

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  • The 76-year-old actor is known for films including "Pretty Woman" and "An Officer and a Gentleman."
  • He is a longtime advocate for Tibetan human rights and has spoken at international forums on migration and refugees.
  • He has publicly criticized the president before, including remarks reported by the Washington Times at past events.
  • The Oslo Freedom Forum is an annual gathering focused on democracy and human rights, drawing activists and public figures worldwide.

Driving the news: Gere spoke in conversation with Human Rights Foundation head Thor Halvorssen and used the platform to deliver pointed criticism of the president, according to reporting from the event.

  • He described the current period as the darkest he has experienced, per Japan Today.
  • Gere said the president had dismantled U.S. institutions early in the term, the outlet reported.
  • He attributed the political climate partly to voter apathy, citing people who did not engage or vote.
  • Gere said he had recently visited the site of the former Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, per reporting on the speech.

What they're saying: Quotes from the event center on Gere's remarks, with the forum context framing the award presentation.

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  • Richard Gere, Actor — "We're living in the darkest moment that I've experienced on this planet."
  • Richard Gere, Actor — "How is this even possible? Because we went to sleep. We didn't care. We didn't vote."
  • The White House had not issued a public response to the remarks as of filing.

Yes, but: The remarks drew sharply divided media coverage across the political spectrum.

  • Some outlets characterized the speech as a forceful condemnation, while others framed it critically.
  • Gere acknowledged he had done too little to campaign against the president's return, per reporting.
  • He has no formal role in U.S. policy, and the speech was delivered at a private forum abroad.

By the numbers:

Close

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  • Gere is 76 years old.
  • The Václav Havel Prize was established in 2012 by the Human Rights Foundation.
  • This year's prize recognized two recipients.

What's next:

  • The Václav Havel Prize recipients include imprisoned Chinese artist Gao Zhen and Myanmar activist Sai.
  • Gao Zhen remains imprisoned in China on charges related to his artwork, according to reporting on the award.
  • The Oslo Freedom Forum continues its annual programming on democracy and rights.
  • Video of Gere's full remarks was posted by the forum's official channel.

Sources

This report was compiled using information from The Washington Times, Japan Today, The Daily Beast, and Yahoo

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