Bruce Springsteen’s European tour should wrap in Milan the day before independence. But the legend of rock may not feel very welcome at home.
Springsteen fought with President Donald Trump in recent days, Trump degenerating the War of Words on Friday morning. Sometimes entertaining and sometimes disturbing, the mini-feud soothes two septuagenarians against each other in the least surprising way possible. And although it is unlikely to move the needle in 2028, the fact that Trump has given in to his gross impulses is ultimately a personal gift for the boss.
It all started on Wednesday, during the first stop of the “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour of Springsteen in Manchester, England. Quite predictable, and with the video and the audio which rolled conveniently, the boss targeted Trump and his administration.
“The Mighty E Street Band is here this evening to call on the right power of art, music, rock ‘n’ roll in dangerous moments,” he told the one-minute speech to noisy cheers.
“In my house, America I love, America I wrote on which I have been a headlight of hope and freedom for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and betrayal administration,” he continued before asking fans to “lift your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom sound!”
Later in the evening, Springsteen offered a withdrawal withdrawn from what has seen in the United States under Trump.
“They persecute people for having used their right to freedom of expression and expressing their dissent,” started Springsteen, in remarks that were later published on his website and YouTube Channel. He continued:
They make the historical legislation of civil rights go back which led to a fairer and plural society. They abandon our great allies and put themselves on the side of dictators against those who fight for their freedom. They finance American universities which will not bow to their ideological requests. They eliminate residents of American streets and, without regular procedure, expel them towards detention centers and foreign prisons.
Bruce Springsteen
He also targeted Trump’s Republican colleagues, as well as the Democratic Party, arguing that they had not all managed to protect the Americans “from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government”.
However, he said: “America that I have been singing you for 50 years is real, and regardless of its faults is a big country with a large people. So we will survive at that time.”
The White House almost immediately replied, rejecting Springsteen as an “elite and out -of -contact” celebrity: “Bruce is welcome to stay abroad while the worker Americans enjoy a safe border and cooling inflation thanks to President Trump.”
Then, Friday morning, apparently Air Force One on the way back of his trip to the Middle East, Trump resumed social networks.
“I see that Bruce Springsteen very surface goes to a foreign country to speak badly of the President of the United States,” wrote Trump on Truth Social. “I never liked him, never liked his music, nor his radical policy and, above all, he is not a talented guy – just an arrogant and unpleasant jolt, who with fervor supported Joe Biden.”
Calling Springsteen silent and perhaps visually impaired, Trump ended with a personal note.
Calling Springsteen silent and perhaps visually impaired, Trump ended with a personal note: “This diagram has dried a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) Should keep his mouth closed until he returns to the country, it’s just a” standard rate “. Then we will all see how it goes for him! »»
Given the aggressive approach that the Trump administration has adopted the last three months, the tone was a little disturbing. Was it a direct warning or simply an attempt to cool the artistic discourse more generally? Or both? (The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada quickly condemned Trump’s remarks, noting: “Musicians have the right to freedom of expression.”)
Of course, this is not the first time that Springsteen publicly criticized Trump, calling him “a flagrant toxic narcissist” during the 2016 campaign. And he appears regularly – especially during the presidential campaigns – during events of the Democratic Party.
The title of the Springsteen album in 1984 “Born in the USA”, which criticized the Vietnam War and the subsequent treatment of American veterans, were adopted by President Ronald Reagan as a modern American hymn, even if his words paint a much darker image.
Springsteen is now 75 years old and does not make new music of a real impact. Its coming release, “Tracks II: The Lost Albums”, the long -awaited follow -up of its “Tracks” of the 1998 studio outings, includes seven unpublished albums, most of which was not recorded during this century.
He certainly knew that there was a good chance that Trump reacts angry. The immaculate video published on his website (and the transcription of his controversy) has definitely telegraphed this. By taunting Trump and making him hit, Springsteen gives the hero to his legions of fans. This also gives it a cultural relevance shock – or at least a new or two cycle – at one time.
I want to believe that Springsteen’s speech – which has been applauded as a “essential” on my flow of social media – was issued for disinterested reasons. There is certainly no doubt that he meant every word what he said. But that does not mean that it will have a lot of perceptible impact.
A few minutes after responding to Springsteen’s comments, Trump was strangely, but perhaps not surprised, moved to Taylor Swift.
“Has anyone noticed that since I said” I hate Taylor Swift “, she’s no longer” hot? “” Wrote Trump, suggesting that his recent Swift criticism has made her less a global phenomenon in recent months. Of course, it’s absurd. Swift, who was the best -selling world artist in 2024, does not behave much for the moment because she had just finished her “Eras tour” record in December.
Could it be that Trump has a second thought on taking the Springsteen bait? Maybe. But probably not.
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