A town in southern Italy, where Robert De Niro's great-grandparents came from, has offered the US film star asylum after he made a tongue-in-cheek remark that he'd return there if Donald Trump was elected president.

"If after the disappointment of Trump, he wants to take refuge here, we are ready to welcome him," said Antonio Cerio, the mayor of Ferrazzano, the little town from where his great-grandparents emigrated in 1890.

The star of "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull" and "Meet the Fockers" said on the Jimmy Kimmel talk-show on the US ABC channel Wednesday, that the Italian side of his family was originally from Ferrazzano and that he is an Italian citizen.

"I’m going to probably have to move there," after Trump's election victory he added, with a smile.

"Naturally it would be an honour and give us great pleasure," Cerio said, delighted at the publicity for the town of 3,000 residents.

De Niro hasn't minced his words in his criticism of Trump, describing him as "a punk", "a pig" and "an idiot".

"I'd like to punch him in he face," he said before the election.

The Oscar-winning New Yorker said on ABC; "I can’t (punch Trump) now, he’s the president. And I have to respect that position."

"Maybe he (President Barack Obama) will when he sees him,” he added.

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