Overview

• In a New York Times interview published June 18, Springsteen described the United States as “an American tragedy,” blaming deindustrialization and widening wealth gaps for creating fertile ground for a demagogue.
• On his Land of Hope and Dreams tour, he has repeatedly denounced President Trump’s administration as “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous,” calling Trump a “moron” during performances.
• President Trump fired back on social media by mocking Springsteen as “highly overrated” and a “dried up prune,” even sharing a doctored video of himself striking the rocker with a golf ball.
• Springsteen condemned the administration’s immigration policies as “disgusting” and a “terrible tragedy,” pledging to spotlight these issues through his upcoming EP and concert setlists.
• Despite his sharp criticism, Springsteen expressed confidence in America’s democratic tradition and plans to release archive recordings next week ahead of his October biopic release.