n a fiery appearance on The View that quickly went viral, legendary actor Robert De Niro took a firm stand in defense of longtime host Joy Behar — and launched a scathing verbal attack on tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The Oscar-winning actor appeared on the show to promote his latest film, but the conversation quickly turned political and personal when co-host Sunny Hostin brought up recent criticism Joy Behar has received online, much of it allegedly fueled by Musk’s followers on X (formerly Twitter).

Without hesitation, De Niro jumped in:

“Joy’s one of the last honest voices on daytime TV. You don’t have to agree with her, but at least she tells it like it is — unlike Elon Musk, who’s busy turning social media into a playground for misinformation.”

When pressed further, De Niro didn’t hold back:

“He doesn’t deserve your trust. He’s not a genius — he’s just a rich guy playing with fire. And people are getting burned.”

The comments sparked immediate reaction online, with De Niro’s name trending alongside hashtags like #TeamJoy, #DeNiroVsMusk, and #ViewShowdown. Musk, known for responding quickly to criticism, has yet to fire back — but his supporters are already labeling the actor “washed up” and “desperate for attention.”

Joy Behar, visibly moved by De Niro’s support, simply said:

“Thank you, Bobby. That means more than you know.”

This isn’t the first time De Niro has clashed with powerful public figures — the actor has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump and has long positioned himself as a defender of liberal values in Hollywood. But his shot at Musk marks a new chapter in the growing culture war between Silicon Valley elites and left-leaning celebrities.

As the clip racks up millions of views, one thing’s clear: The View just got a whole lot louder — and Elon Musk is now firmly in Robert De Niro’s crosshairs.