A galaxy of A-lister stars has pushed back against rising anti-migrant rhetoric coming from the Trump administration.

The most recent to call out the divisive xenophobic statements is Hollywood actor Richard Gere.

The ‘Officer and a Gentleman’ star said he was “deeply ashamed” of the rhetoric toward migrants coming from the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers.

In a speech at the launch of a joint migration initiative by the Hertie School Centre for Fundamental Rights and The Gere Foundation in Berlin, Gere praised the long history of migration and what it has contributed to society.

“And yet, somehow, in today’s debates, we often speak about migrants, about refugees, as if they were different from us,” he said,

“I think the term I was actually given today – apparently the US government is calling people ‘aliens’ – that’s the latest.

“It had been vermin, now it’s aliens. I’m deeply ashamed of this, I want you to know. They belong to another category of human beings, as if their hopes and fears and aspirations were somehow less legitimate than our own.”

Gere reflected on his own family history, saying that he had “four or five people on the Mayflower,” referring to the British ship carrying the Pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts in the early 1600s.

“So, we all left, and our parents left, our grandparents, to make a journey in search of safety, of opportunity, dignity, or simply to look for a better future,” he said.

“Human history is in many ways the history of migration, of movement.”

Gere left the US to live in Spain in 2024, then referring to President Trump in asking if it crossed anyone’s mind “that America could sink to this level.”

Rock star Bruce Springsteen’s recent concerts have effectively been campaigning for democracy.

Journalists have described his recent concerts as ‘resistance events’.

“It was a three-hour-long ode to the resistance and a thunderous call to Springsteen fans to step up and do more to fight for democracy and against authoritarianism,” one review said.

 It said Springsteen was serving as a model for how celebrities can stand up against Trump and fight for what’s right.

At the beginning of a recent concert Springsteen said: “The E Street Band is here tonight in celebration and defence of the American ideals and values that have sustained our country for 250 years. We call upon the righteous power or art, of music, of rock’n’roll in these dangerous times.”

“Our democracy, our constitution, our rule of law are being challenged right now as never before by a reckless, racist, incompetent, treasonous president and his ship of fools administration. So tonight, we ask all of you to join with us in choosing hope over fear, democracy over authoritarianism, the rule of law over lawlessness, ethics over unbridled corruption, resistance over complacency, truth over lies, unity over division and peace over war.”

Actor Sean Penn gave President Trum a new nickname on a recent podcast.

On The Louis Theroux Podcast, the Milk star, 64, called the president, 78, “the tough guy who never was.”

“Well, I think that people will look back and see that he was extremely smart for his time and what it valued. But what he values is so base,” Penn said.

“I won’t equate that with intelligence. It’s truly void of soul. And really – this is the other thing – it actively engages in cruelty often.”

Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, one of the Trump administration’s most outspoken critics, recently called Trump an “opportunist” and a “xenophobic fascist”.

The actor Mark Ruffalo has continually voiced strong opposition, publicly drawing parallels between authoritarian characters he plays and Trump’s leadership.

“Now, we have a president who called participants in the neo-Nazi and white supremacist march in Charlottesville ‘some very fine people.’ Enough is enough,” he said. 

Robert De Niro has been a consistent and vocal critic, frequently calling out Trump during public protests, media interviews, and awards shows.

Singer and actress Cher said: “Never once did I dream that there would be one through arrogance and ignorance, who could change our world, who could change the face of our world… I know you can stop this because the power of the people is bigger…”

Speaking directly to Trump, singer and actor Lady Gaga said: “The message you have just sent has endangered the lives of people all over the United States and overseas bravely serving our nation. Many of these young people are transgender and suffer daily from the exact types of social isolation and targeting your message encourages.”

Actor and writer Lena Dunham said: “Millennials overwhelmingly voted against Trump. Our generation says no, as do first-time voters, to what this man and his presidency represent. We reject, wholesale, his brand – any brand – of hatred and bigotry.”

Comedian Seth Myers said: “Donald Trump did not immediately denounce the white supremacist movement when given the chance, and now, whether he knows it or not, many of those people see him as leading that movement.”

Basketballer LeBron James said: “This guy that we put in charge has tried to divide us once again… He’s now using sports as the platform to try to divide us. We all know how much sports bring us together… For him to try to use this platform to divide us even more – it’s not something I can stand for and it’s not something I can be quiet about.”

Singer Shakira said: We have to be vigilant about letting bigotry and hatred creep into the mainstream or be rationalized under the guise of ‘protecting our people.’ If we accept blanket targeting towards Muslims, we can all be sure that other minority groups won’t be far behind, whether it’s by closing borders to other supposed “dangerous” groups or trampling their human rights in other ways…”

Read more: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/g12502906/donald-trump-celebrity-statements/