Bruce Springsteen has dismissed former President Donald Trump‘s personal attacks as irrelevant, stating he ”absolutely couldn’t care less what he thinks” and asserting Trump should be “consigned to teh trash heap of history.” The comments, revealed in a new Time Magazine interview, follow Springsteen’s highly publicized criticism of the Trump administration during a May concert on his The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour.
Springsteen’s initial rebuke, delivered onstage, labeled the Trump administration “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous,” and urged audiences to “rise…against authoritarianism.” Trump responded on his Truth social platform,deriding Springsteen as “dumb as a rock” and a “dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker” who should “KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.”
The time interview reveals Springsteen remains undeterred.”If I’m going to stay true to who I’ve tried to be…I can’t give these guys a free pass,” he told the magazine. He further criticized Trump’s appeal, stating, “A lot of people bought into his lies.… He doesn’t care about the forgotten anybody but himself and the multibillionaires who stood behind him on inauguration Day.” Springsteen also acknowledged a broader acceptance of Trump’s political style,noting,”You have to face the fact that a good number of Americans are simply comfortable with his politics of power and dominance.”
Beyond his condemnation of Trump, Springsteen expressed dissatisfaction with the current political landscape, calling for either a viable third party or a revitalization of the Democratic Party. He criticized the Democratic Party’s messaging, stating, “We’re desperately in need of an effective alternative party, or for the Democratic Party to find someone who can speak to the majority of the nation. There is a problem with the language that they’re using and the way they’re trying to reach people.”
Springsteen’s outspokenness reflects a long history of politically engaged songwriting,but his direct and forceful language regarding Trump marks a particularly strong stance. He framed his criticism as a matter of essential democratic principles, suggesting Trump’s actions warranted consideration of the 25th Amendment and impeachment.
