by Bruce Springsteen Fires Back at Trump Criticism During UK Concert
The ongoing tension between Bruce Springsteen and former President Donald Trump just got more intense.
During the third night of his Land of Hopes and Dreams tour in Manchester, England, Springsteen didn’t hold back. A day earlier, Trump had blasted the rock legend on Truth Social, calling him an “obnoxious jerk,” a “dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker,” and telling him to “keep his mouth shut.”
But The Boss wasn’t backing down.
Speaking for three powerful minutes at Manchester’s Co-op Live venue, Springsteen thanked the crowd for listening to what he called an important message about the current state of the United States.
“Things are happening right now that are altering the very nature of our democracy,” he said. “And they’re too important to ignore.”
He then doubled down on remarks from an earlier show in Manchester — the very ones that sparked Trump’s fury. Springsteen criticized moves like defunding American universities, rolling back civil rights protections, and siding with authoritarian leaders over those fighting for freedom.
In his Truth Social post, Trump hinted at possible consequences for Springsteen once he returned to the U.S., writing, “We’ll see how it goes for him.” But the singer remained unfazed.
“In my home, they’re persecuting people for using their voices and speaking out,” Springsteen said. “In America, the richest men are finding joy in turning their backs on the world’s poorest children, leaving them to sickness and death. And they’re taking sadistic pleasure in hurting hardworking Americans.”
With calm resolve, he continued listing concerns many of Trump’s critics share.
“They’re removing people from American streets without due process and sending them to foreign detention centers as prisoners,” he said. “And our elected leaders have failed to protect us from the abuse of an unfit president and a rogue government.”
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as Springsteen declared, “These people have no idea what it truly means to be American.”
But he didn’t end on a bitter note.
“The America I’ve sung about for 50 years is real,” he said. “Despite all its flaws, it’s a great country filled with great people, and we will get through this moment.”
Springsteen closed with a quote from author James Baldwin: “In this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like, but there’s enough.”
The rock icon has never shied away from political commentary. He openly supported Kamala Harris during the 2024 election and has long been a vocal critic of Trump. The former president, in turn, has a history of lashing out at celebrities who oppose him — including Taylor Swift and Robert De Niro.
