Donald Trump takes a dig at Bruce Springsteen as he mocks Democrats using entertainers to draw crowds

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: At a rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, August 3, former president Donald Trump launched a scathing critique of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump began his tirade by mocking Harris's need to enlist entertainers to draw crowds, saying, "Kamala has to go get entertainers because people start leaving as soon as she opens her mouth."

He compared her to Hillary Clinton, recalling how she had also sought support from celebrities like Bruce Springsteen. "I remember she got Bruce Springsteen. I’m not a, you know, I’m not a huge fan. I don't really like him," Trump added.

Trump continued his criticism of Springsteen, a prominent rock icon and lifelong Democrat. "I have a bad trait. I only like people that like me," the 45th POTUS quipped, referring to Springsteen’s support for Clinton in 2016.

He recounted a rally where Springsteen performed for Clinton, noting, "The place was pretty full, not full like our place. He finished with the concert, then she starts speaking and everyone starts leaving."

Donald Trump’s history with Bruce Springsteen

The animosity between Donald Trump and Bruce Springsteen is not new. In May, at a massive rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, Trump mocked Springsteen in front of tens of thousands of supporters, Newsweek reported.

"I love these Saturday evenings. Is there anything better than a Trump rally? If some of these wackos came along, you know, these liberal singers, they'd actually vote for me. You know, like Bruce Springsteen. We have a much bigger crowd than Bruce Springsteen. Right?" he asked.

Springsteen, known for his hit 'Born in the USA', has been a vocal critic of Trump. In a 2020 interview with The Atlantic, Springsteen voiced his concerns about Trump’s potential return to the White House.

The rocker said, "I believe that our current president is a threat to our democracy. He simply makes any kind of reform that much harder. I don’t know if our democracy could stand another four years of his custodianship. These are all existential threats to our democracy and our American way of life."

Earlier in his speech, Trump also compared Harris to President Joe Biden, criticizing her public speaking skills. "If she doesn’t have a teleprompter, she can’t even speak," Trump quipped, referring to Harris's recent remarks following the US prisoner exchange with Russia.

Conservatives have described her statement as a "word salad," where she said, "This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy and strengthening alliances."

Trump likened these comments to Biden’s speech difficulties, stating, "We just went through four years, let's not go through another."

The battleground state of Georgia

Donald Trump's rally in Georgia underscores his efforts to regain support in a battleground state he lost four years ago. Accompanied by his running mate JD Vance, Trump aims to energize his base just days after Vice President Kamala Harris's rally at the same Georgia State University basketball arena.

Georgia remains a focal point for both major political parties, despite the Democrats' recent focus on Midwestern "blue wall" states. Harris, buoyed by President Joe Biden's withdrawal and endorsement, emphasized the shifting momentum in the race, suggesting that "there are signs Donald Trump is feeling it."

Trump narrowly lost Georgia in the 2020 election, with Biden securing the state by just 11,779 votes. Trump infamously asked Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to overturn the results. This led to Trump being indicted in Georgia, albeit the legal battle is still pending as courts decide on the district attorney's capacity to pursue the case.

In his rally announcement, the Trump campaign blamed Harris for the financial burdens on Georgians due to inflation and soaring gas prices, which have increased since the lows under Trump’s administration.

The campaign also highlighted the tragic case of Laken Riley, a nursing student from Georgia who was murdered while jogging in a park. A Venezuelan national has been charged with her murder, and Trump’s supporters have mocked Harris in her role as the anointed "border czar" due to her handling of immigration issues for the White House, the Daily Mirror reported.