Bruce Springsteen says America is ‘battered’ but still a ‘land of hope and dreams’
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Bruce Springsteen delivered a stirring message about the state of the nation during a surprise appearance at the New York Film Festival premiere of his new biopic 'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere'.
The 76-year-old, nicknamed The Boss, warned that America is living through “particularly dangerous times” but insisted the country continues to embody hope, resilience, and unity.
The event was held at Lincoln Center on Sunday, September 28. where Springsteen joined the audience ahead of the film’s screening. Known for his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump, Springsteen once again positioned himself as a defender of America’s ideals while rejecting “fear,” “divisiveness,” and “hatred.”
Bruce Springsteen talks about the distance between American reality and American dream
Before the screening, Bruce Springsteen stepped on stage with his acoustic guitar, which he called his “lifelong weapon of choice.”
He then performed a solo version of his song 'Land of Hope and Dreams'.
“These days… we have daily events reminding us of the fact that we’re living through these particularly dangerous times,” Springsteen told the crowd. “I’ve spent my life on the road as kind of a musical ambassador for America… trying to measure the distance between American reality, where we’ve often fallen short of our ideals, and the American dream.”
Despite acknowledging challenges, Springsteen insisted that the nation remains worth fighting for.
“As battered as she feels right now, she continues to be a land of hope and dreams, not of fear or divisiveness or government censorship or hatred,” he said.
Trump’s feud with Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen’s comments came amid renewed clashes with Donald Trump, who returned to the White House in January.
The president has repeatedly dismissed Springsteen as “very overrated” and has also targeted other outspoken artists, including Beyonce and Taylor Swift.
The long-running feud between Springsteen and Trump has played out in public for years, with the rock icon using his platform to highlight what he sees as America’s enduring fight for equality and justice.
Biopic explores Bruce Springsteen’s 'Nebraska' era
Directed by Scott Cooper, 'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere' focuses on the creation of Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 album 'Nebraska', a stripped-down, critically acclaimed work regarded as one of his most important releases.
Jeremy Allen White, star of the hit series 'The Bear', portrays Springsteen in the film, which is set to be released in theaters across the US on October 24.
For Springsteen, the premiere offered more than a retrospective look at his music.
It was also a moment to remind fans of the values he believes America must defend. “That America is worth fighting for,” he told the crowd, earning a standing ovation.
