Bruce Springsteen used the opening night of his Land of Hope & Dreams Tour to issue a blistering critique of Donald Trump and the state of American democracy, captivating the Manchester crowd with music and a message.
Before launching into “Land of Hope and Dreams,” Springsteen addressed the audience with a solemn tone: “In the United States, the stewardship of democracy is being threatened. There is a fight going on for the soul of the nation.” He warned of the dangers of authoritarianism and called for vigilance in defending democratic ideals.
Springsteen to America: “We Are in Danger of Losing What We Stand For”
Springsteen didn’t name Trump in his opening remarks, but the message was clear. Before performing “House of a Thousand Guitars,” he sharpened his commentary, accusing “a man whose attacks on the truth are constant” of exploiting the very freedoms America provides.
Then came the direct hit. Just before “My City of Ruins,” Springsteen paused and declared unequivocally:
“He is unfit for office. He is unfit for the presidency of the United States.”
The crowd erupted.
Trump Responds on Truth Social
Within hours of the performance, Donald Trump responded on his Truth Social platform, labeling Springsteen “washed-up” and accusing him of trying to “stay relevant by trashing his betters.” Trump also criticized Springsteen for taking his political grievances overseas, writing:
“You don’t go to another country to insult your own nation’s leadership. Disgraceful!”
The post sparked immediate backlash from Springsteen supporters, with hashtags like #TheBossWasRight trending across social media.
Rolling Stone and Music World React
Rolling Stone described the performance as “a reminder of why Springsteen remains not only one of music’s great storytellers but also a voice of American conscience.”
Music journalists noted that while Springsteen has never shied away from political themes, Wednesday night’s remarks were among the most direct and scathing of his career.
“He’s not just singing,” said a concertgoer in Manchester. “He’s sounding the alarm.”
A Tour Fueled by Urgency
The Land of Hope & Dreams Tour is named after Springsteen’s iconic 1999 track that offers a vision of inclusive hope. But on Wednesday night, that vision felt especially urgent.
Against the backdrop of growing political divisions in the United States, Springsteen used his platform to rally listeners across the Atlantic.
“This is not just a concert,” he said. “This is a call.”
Watch Bruce Springsteen’s Full Statement
Read Bruce Springsteen’s Full Statements
Before “Land of Hope and Dreams”:
“Good evening. It’s great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour.
The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in dangerous times.
In my home, the America I love, 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.
Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us. Raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring.”
Before “House of a Thousand Guitars”:
“The last check on power, after the checks and balances of government have failed, are the people, you and me.
It’s in the union of people around a common set of values. Now that’s all that stands between democracy and authoritarianism.
So at the end of the day, all we’ve really got is each other.”
Before “My City of Ruins”:
“Now, there’s some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now.
In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.
In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now.
In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain that they inflict on loyal American workers, they’re rolling back historic Civil Rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society, they’re abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom.
They’re defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands. They’re removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now.
A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government.
They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American. The America that I’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real, and regardless of its faults, is a great country with a great people.
So we’ll survive this moment.
Now, I have hope because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, in this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like. But there’s enough.
Let’s pray.”
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