I a dramatic post-electio twist that feels straight ot of a Hollywood screeplay, Brce Sprigstee ad Robert De Niro have declared their itetios to leave the Uited States followig Doald Trmps resodig reelectio victory. Citig a lack of respect ad a growig cltral divide, the icoic msicia ad legedary actor delivered their joit aocemet i what ca oly be described as a heartfelt, albeit theatrical, farewell to the atio theyve called home for decades.

America is recogizable, Sprigstee said drig a hastily orgaized press coferece otside a New York dier, his sal deim-clad stoicism replaced with visible disappoitmet. Ive sg abot its strggles, its trimphs, its people. Bt this? This ist the America I wrote abot i Bor to R.

De Niro, ever the dramatic performer, chimed i. Were ot rig away, he clarified, his hads gestrig as if directig his ow impassioed moologe. Were beig pshed ot. Theres o respect for s here aymore.

Both me have log bee vocal critics of Trmp, with De Niro famosly callig the former presidet a fool ad Sprigstee lametig the divisio he believes Trmps presidecy has exacerbated. Their decisio to leave the U.S. comes as they claim to feel icreasigly alieated i a cotry they say has tred its back o the vales they hold dear.

For years, Ive bee called The Boss, bt ow it seems America doest eve wat a worker like me, Sprigstee qipped, attemptig to iject some hmor ito the otherwise somber aocemet. Were leavig becase stayig feels like pretedig thigs are fie whe theyre ot.

De Niro, ever oe to mice words, took a sharper toe. Yo kow what it feels like? It feels like livig i a bad movie, ad Ive made a few bad movies, he said with a wry gri. Bt eve Rocky ad Bllwikle had more sese tha this.

While the do stopped short of amig their fial destiatio, rmors are swirlig that Sprigstee has his eye o Italy, the homelad of his acestors, while De Niro might joi him for a exteded stay i Tscay. Italy respects its artists, De Niro oted. Ad the foods better, lets be hoest.

Some sorces sggest the two may collaborate o a ew project while overseasperhaps a docmetary chroiclig their disillsiomet with moder America, tetatively titled The Lad We Left Behid.

Dot thik of it as s qittig, Sprigstee said. Thik of it as a sabbatical til the sol of America comes back.

The aocemet has sparked a otporig of emotio from fas across the political spectrm. May are heartbroke at the thoght of losig two cltral icos who have log bee syoymos with America grit ad artistry.

Brce Sprigstee IS America, oe fa tweeted. If hes leavig, what does that say abot where were headed?

Others, however, were less sympathetic. Dot let the door hit yo o the way ot, qipped oe critic o social media. Maybe Erope will appreciate yor ot-of-toch whiig.

The debate rages o, with some praisig Sprigstee ad De Niro for takig a stad, while others accse them of abadoig the cotry i its time of eed.

The decisio by two of Americas most famos cltral figres to leave the cotry derscores the deepeig divide i a atio grapplig with political ad social rest. While Trmp spporters celebrate his reelectio as a madate for their visio of America, his critics view it as a step backward for progress ad ity.

Its ot abot politicsits abot vales, Sprigstee explaied. Ive always believed i the promise of this cotry. Bt right ow, that promise feels broke.

De Niro echoed those setimets, addig, America sed to be the lad of opportity, ot opportism. Its hard to watch what its become.

Both Sprigstee ad De Niro have spet their careers champioig the derdog, whether throgh msic or film. Their departre feels, to may, like the ltimate act of protesta statemet as bold as ay sog or movie theyve ever created.

Im ot givig p, Sprigstee isisted. Ill keep writig, keep sigig. Bt maybe its time to do it from a distace.

De Niro, ever the actor, framed it i ciematic terms. Every story has a begiig, a middle, ad a ed. Maybe this chapter of my America story is over. Bt Im still workig o the seqel.

As they prepare to leave, both Sprigstee ad De Niro have promised to stay coected with their fas ad cotie their respective creative edeavors. Sprigstee hited at a ew albm ispired by his feeligs of exile, tetatively titled Leavig the Heartlad. De Niro, meawhile, is reportedly i talks for a film project explorig the lives of expatriates.

Were ot disappearig, Sprigstee reassred his adiece. Were jst fidig a ew stage to perform o.

For their fas, the departre feels like the ed of a eraoe where art ad activism itertwied to give voice to the voiceless. Whether their departre will spark meaigfl chage or simply add fel to a already ragig cltral fire remais to be see.

As the press coferece coclded, Sprigstee plled ot a harmoica, playig a hatig reditio of This Lad Is Yor Lad that broght some i the crowd to tears. De Niro, stadig beside him, offered a simple, poigat farewell: Take care of this place while were goe.

For better or worse, America will ow have to avigate its ftre withot two of its most otspoke advocates. Whether their absece will be felt as a void or a relief likely depeds o which side of the aisle yore stadig.