Bruce Springsteen calls Donald Trump ‘racist,’ ‘treasonous’ at Washington concert

WASHINGTON, DC: Bruce Springsteen criticized President Donald Trump during a concert in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, May 28, using several moments throughout the performance to condemn the administration’s immigration policies and broader political direction.

Springsteen, performing at Nationals Park as part of the 'Land of Hope and Dreams' tour, used the stage to criticize the administration and rally supporters around issues including immigration, civil rights, and democracy.

Bruce Springsteen criticizes Trump administration during opening remarks

Addressing the crowd while introducing a performance of Edwin Starr’s Bruce said, “Tonight in celebration and defense of the American ideals and values that have sustained our country for 250 years.”

“We are here to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in these troubled times,” Springsteen added. “Our democracy, our constitution, our rule of law are being challenged right now as never before by a reckless, racist, incompetent, treasonous president.”

He also urged the audience to choose “hope over fear, democracy over authoritarianism, the rules of law over lawlessness, ethics over unbridled corruption, resistance over complacency, truth over lies, unity over division and peace over war.”

The Washington performance featured several of Springsteen’s politically themed songs, including 'Born in the USA,' 'Death to My Hometown,' and 'American Skin (41 Shots),' the latter originally written in response to the 1999 police shooting of Amadou Diallo.

Springsteen’s criticism of Trump follows earlier public clashes between the two men. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, called Springsteen 'a total loser who spews hate against a President who won a Landslide Election' and encouraged supporters to boycott his concerts.

Concert focuses on immigration enforcement and Minneapolis protests

The concert also centered on immigration enforcement and unrest in Minneapolis as he also performed his protest song 'Streets of Minneapolis,' written after the deaths of nurse Alex Pretti and protester Renee Good earlier this year. According to Springsteen, residents of the city had “stood shoulder-to-shoulder for their neighbors.”

“Their strength and their commitment told us that this is still America, and the Gestapo tactics of this president and this administration will not stand here,” Springsteen told the crowd. During the performance, he repeated lyrics referencing “chants of ‘ICE out now!’” 

The Washington concert was part of Springsteen’s broader 'Land of Hope and Dreams' tour, which began in Minneapolis and has taken on an explicitly political tone. Rather than focusing primarily on greatest hits, the setlist has emphasized socially conscious songs tied to immigration, economic hardship, and policing.

Springsteen also announced he would appear later this year at the “Power to the People Festival” in Maryland alongside performers including Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, and Tom Morello. Organizers have described the event as a “non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action.”