Bruce Springsteen doubles down after Trump calls him ‘dried out prune’

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Bruce Springsteen doubles down after Trump calls him ‘dried out prune’

Bruce Springsteen didn’t back down.

The Boss reinforced his remarks about President Donald Trump at the E Street Band’s May 17 show at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England − a line of criticism that previously prompted Trump to call Springsteen a “dried out prune.”

“My home America, the America I’ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration,” said Springsteen to cheers as he took the stage, echoing what he said at the tour’s opening show on May 14 at the same venue. “This is ‘Land of Hope and Dreams.’ “

“Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American spirit to rise with us, raise your voices and stand with us against authoritarianism and let freedom ring,” said Springsteen, according to a livestream of the show.

Trump calls Bruce Springsteen a ‘jerk’: The president slapped back after the musician voiced criticism at concert

Bruce Springsteen performs during the first night of his Land of Hope and Dreams tour with the E Street Band at Co-op Live on May 14, 2025, in Manchester, England.

Springsteen also repeated his statement on free speech before “My City of Ruins.”

“There’s some very weird, strange, and dangerous (expletive) going on out there right now,” said Springsteen during both shows. “In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.”

Trump posted a reply the morning of May 16 on his

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account.

“I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States,” Trump said. “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy − Just 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.”

Trump also suggested there would be consequences if Springsteen had made the statement in the U.S.

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Bruce Springsteen repeated his criticism of President Trump at his second show in Manchester, England.

“This dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that’s just ‘standard fare,’ ” Trump said. “Then we’ll all see how it goes for him!”

Much of the music world is showing support for Springsteen. Pearl Jam covered “My City of Ruins” at their May 16 show in Pittsburgh and Jason Isbell played The Boss’ “Cover Me” at his Count Basie Center for the Arts show in Red Bank, New Jersey, also on Friday.

The American Federation of Musicians issued a

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on May 16 for Springsteen and

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, who Trump insulted the same day with a short missive stating: “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’ “

“The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada will not remain silent as two of our members − Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift − are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States,” the group said. “Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world. … Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members.”

Trump and Springsteen are neighbors − kind of. Springsteen, 75, has a home in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and Trump, 78, owns the Trump National Golf Club there. Trump has attended several equestrian events where Jessica Springsteen, The Boss’ daughter, has competed, including the 2013 Trump Invitational Grand Prix in Palm Beach.

In 2016, Trump played Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” at his campaign rallies. Springsteen has been critical of Trump’s policies since 2016, but this week is the first time he’s addressed them from the concert stage.

Springsteen and the E Street Band are currently on the 16-show Land of Hope and Dreams tour of Europe.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press:

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