Overview
- Gere used the Oslo Freedom Forum stage while helping present the Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent to deliver a forceful criticism of President Donald Trump.
- He called the moment the country is living through the “darkest” he has seen and labeled Trump a “maniac,” saying the president began dismantling institutions after returning to the White House.
- Gere blamed ordinary citizens for inaction, saying people "went to sleep," "didn't vote" and "didn't really listen," and he acknowledged he did not do enough to oppose Trump.
- He tied his warning to a recent visit to the former Nazi camp at Dachau, saying exhibits showed how quickly society and government can transform and urging vigilance against a fast turn to authoritarianism.
- The remarks were reported by outlets such as HuffPost and shared via a full video on YouTube, giving the speech wide reach even though the coverage did not report any official political response.