Richard Gere condemns Trump in Oslo speech

Actor and human rights advocate Richard Gere delivered a sharp rebuke against former US president Donald Trump during a speech at the Oslo Freedom Forum on Tuesday, calling the current political climate in the United States “the darkest time I have ever experienced on this planet.”

Speaking to an audience in Oslo, Gere questioned how Trump could have been re-elected in 2024, asking, *”Who would have thought the US could become like this? That a madman like this could become president?”* The remark drew immediate applause, which Gere quickly interrupted, insisting, *”We have to talk about this. This happened because we fell asleep. We didn’t care, we didn’t vote, we didn’t listen.”*

The 76-year-old actor, known for films like *Pretty Woman* and his long-standing human rights work, admitted he had failed to do enough to persuade voters against Trump. *”I did not work hard enough to convince people that this was an insane person to elect as president,”* he said.

Gere claimed Trump had *”destroyed”* American values within his first week of his second term, drawing parallels to pre-World War II Germany. *”We must be alert to the signs of these monsters’ dictatorships,”* he warned, urging the audience to remain vigilant.

His speech was met with sustained applause.

Shortly after, Gere was unexpectedly awarded a prize for his work in Tibet, a cause he has championed for decades. *”I wouldn’t have come if I’d known about this,”* he joked upon receiving the honor.