--- description: The 'Revenant' actor sat down with John Kerry at the Yale Climate Conference to discuss the administration's stance on climate change. title: Leonardo DiCaprio Explains What Happened When He Met Donald Trump image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt98023288d177833b/6988decc7cdbac82d9d5a208/leo-dicaprio.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Leonardo DiCaprio Explains What Happened When He Met Donald Trump  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 3:24 AM CUTPublished: Sep 21, 2017 4:28 PM CUT  SAINT-TROPEZ, FRANCE - JULY 26: Leonardo DiCaprio speaks on stage the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation 4th Annual Saint-Tropez Gala at Domaine Bertaud Belieu on July 26, 2017 in Saint-Tropez, France. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images for LDC Foundation) SAINT-TROPEZ, FRANCE - JULY 26: Leonardo DiCaprio speaks on stage the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation 4th Annual Saint-Tropez Gala at Domaine Bertaud Belieu on July 26, 2017 in Saint-Tropez, France. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images for LDC Foundation)Venturelli—Getty Images for LDC Foundation  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 3:24 AM CUTPublished: Sep 21, 2017 4:28 PM CUT This week, Leonardo DiCaprio is [flexing his voice on climate change](http://time.com/4761810/leo-dicaprio-climate-march/ "undefined"). He took a break from the mean streets of New York City to stop by the [Yale Climate Conference](http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2017/09/21/inaugural-kerry-conference-discusses-climate-change/ "undefined") at the Ivy League university’s New Haven campus, appearing onstage on Tuesday for a discussion with former Secretary of State and event host John Kerry. The [_Revenant_ actor](http://time.com/4174724/golden-globes-leonardo-dicaprio-revenant/ "undefined") and [_Before the Flood_ producer](http://time.com/4511153/trailer-leonardo-dicaprio-documentary-before-the-flood/ "undefined") drew a substantial crowd of 2,500\. He made pointed statements about the current administration’s stance on climate change, and recalled his attempt to sway Donald Trump when he visited Trump, who was then President-elect, at Trump Tower back in December. “We presented him with a comprehensive plan to tackle climate change, while also simultaneously harnessing the economic potential of green jobs,” DiCaprio recalled, in remarks reported by [the Hartford _Courant_](http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-yale-climate-change-conference-20170919-story.html "undefined"). “We talked about how the United States has the potential to lead the world in clean-energy manufacturing and research and development.” But DiCaprio’s efforts proved in vain: Trump subsequently said the U.S. would pull out of the [Paris Agreement](http://www.thedrive.com/opinion/11066/president-trump-dumps-paris-climate-agreement "undefined") and appointed [Scott Pruitt](http://time.com/4842380/scott-pruitt-epa-climate-science/ "undefined") to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. “We should not have people in office who do not believe in facts and truths and modern science that are able to manipulate and risk the entire future of this entire generation,” DiCaprio said. “We are at that turning point right now, and we are going to look back at this point in history, and frankly this administration, and certain people are going to be vilified for not taking action. They really are. And it’s up to this generation, it’s up to all of you to get involved and make a difference.” The star also announced he plans to donate a $20 million grant from his foundation to environmental causes. “We are proud to support the work of over 100 organizations at home and abroad,” the actor said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4951684/leo-dicaprio-donald-trump/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4951684/leo-dicaprio-donald-trump/"},"headline":"Leonardo DiCaprio Explains What Happened When He Met Donald Trump","datePublished":"2017-09-21T16:28:20.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T03:24:34.000Z","description":"\"We should not have people in office who do not believe in facts\"","url":"https://time.com/4951684/leo-dicaprio-donald-trump/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Environment","climate change","celebrities","Leonardo DiCaprio","Donald Trump","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt98023288d177833b/6988decc7cdbac82d9d5a208/leo-dicaprio.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt98023288d177833b/6988decc7cdbac82d9d5a208/leo-dicaprio.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation 4th Annual Saint-Tropez Gala - Dinner & Auction","caption":"The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation 4th Annual Saint-Tropez Gala - Dinner & Auction","creditText":"Venturelli—Getty Images for LDC Foundation","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4951684/leo-dicaprio-donald-trump/","name":"Leonardo DiCaprio Explains What Happened When He Met Donald Trump"}}]}] ```