President Donald Trump Calls out Bruce Springsteen after His Speech at his Manchester Concert

During the Manchester leg of his concert, Bruce Springsteen used his platform to highlight the challenges currently facing the United States. Although his speech was well received by fans, the President of the US responded with sharp disapproval.

On May 14, 2025, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band kicked off their Land of Hope & Dreams Tour in Manchester, England. Springsteen opened the show by making three pointed remarks about the state of affairs in his home country.

His comments came before his performances of "Land of Hope and Dreams," "House of a Thousand Guitars," and "My City of Ruins." One of his remarks described the US as a "beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years" that is now "in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration."

He called on those who value democracy to raise their voices and stand up against "authoritarianism and let freedom reign." At one point, he sat down on stage and shared that Americans were being persecuted for exercising their right to free speech and for voicing dissent.

Taking the opportunity to delve deeper, Springsteen condemned the country's wealthiest figures, claiming they took pleasure in "abandoning the world's poorest children to sickness and death." He continued, "In my country they're taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers."

The rock 'n' roll icon also criticized the administration for "rolling back historic civil legislation that led to a more just and moral society." He accused the leadership of turning its back on the nation's closest allies while aligning itself with dictators.

The star further condemned the defunding of universities that refused to "bow down to their ideological demands." He stated that American citizens are being removed from the streets and sent to "foreign detention centers and prisons" without due process.

Springsteen said most elected officials had failed to protect the nation from the "abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government." He emphasized the reality of the America he has sung about for 50 years, saying that despite its flaws, the country is great, and its people are equally good.

The musician expressed faith that these people would endure the current unrest. Still, he believes there's hope, referencing the words of author James Baldwin: "In this world there isn't as much humanity as one would like, but there is enough."

Once he learned of the remarks, US President Donald Trump responded on Truth Social. He posted, "I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States."

Trump declared that he had never liked Springsteen, his music, or his "Radical Left Politics." He insisted that the real takeaway is that the singer lacks talent and called him a "pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country."

Joe Biden is the former US President who preceded Trump. According to Trump, the nation would no longer exist if he hadn't been elected. Involving former President Biden again, he added, "Sleepy Joe didn't have a clue as to what he was doing, but Springsteen is 'dumb as a rock,' and couldn’t see what was going on, or could he (which is even worse!)?"

Trump also criticized Springsteen's appearance, calling him a "dried out 'prune' of a rocker" and claiming that his skin had "atrophied." He told Springsteen to stay silent until he returned to the US, saying, "that's just 'standard fare,'" and added, "Then we'll all see how it goes for him!"

As previously reported, Bruce Springsteen's remarks sparked immediate reactions online, with fans weighing in from both sides. One fan seemed baffled by the move, writing, "You can't criticize your president in front of a foreign audience. I don't understand why the model doesn't hold up."

Another person disapproved, "Would never do that in America [sic]," while someone else called him out, "Dude is clueless."

The backlash continued with a fan asking, "Has he lost his mind ????" and another adding a touch of sarcasm, "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Some went as far as suggesting, "Time to move away Bruce. Take your negativity with you."

Still, not everyone was critical. One supporter praised him, "Amazing words – thank you, Bruce!" Another fan echoed that sentiment, "I love Bruce and his heartfelt rants. I wish more artists would speak up."

In the 2024 election, Springsteen announced his support for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, positioning them as the candidates best suited to lead the country through what he described as one of the most consequential moments in its history. He clarified that he was firmly against Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Reflecting on the nation's state, Springsteen suggested that the US had not felt so politically, emotionally, and spiritually divided since the Civil War. Still, he believed unity was possible and that the shared values and collective stories that once defined America could be reclaimed.

"Now, that will take time, hard work and intelligence, faith and woman and men with the national good guiding their hearts," he acknowledged.

Springsteen emphasized that America's true strength went beyond its military or economic might. To him, what made the country powerful were its core values — freedom, social justice, equal opportunity, and the right to love without restrictions.

He described Trump as the "most dangerous candidate for president" he had seen in his lifetime. "His disdain for the sanctity of our Constitution, the sanctity of democracy, the sanctity of the rule of law and the sanctity of the peaceful transfer of power should disqualify him from the office of president ever again," Springsteen declared.

The singer argued that Donald Trump failed to grasp the essence of the nation, its history, or what it truly meant to be American.

"On the other hand, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are committed to a vision of this country that respects and includes everyone, regardless of class, religion, race, your political point of view or sexual identity, and they want to grow our economy in a way that benefits all, not just the few, like me, on top. That's the vision of America I've been consistently writing about for 55 years," noted Springsteen.

He wrapped up his message by acknowledging that every American was entitled to their own political stance. Still, he said his vote, something he considered one of his most valuable possessions, would go to Harris and Walz.

Even though Trump ultimately won the election and Springsteen's preferred candidates didn't prevail, the singer has not backed down from using his voice.

He continues to speak out about what he believes are the dangers Trump and his administration pose, urging Americans to reflect on the values that once unified the nation.