Bruce Springsteen has hailed Stephen Colbert as “the first guy in America who lost his show because we got a president who can’t take a joke”.
The Boss appeared as a musical guest on the Late Night legend’s penultimate episode yesterday (20 May). Colbert has hosted the show since 2015, and his final week has featured guests such as David Byrne, Jon Stewart and Steven Spielberg.
Though CBS have stated the show has been cancelled for “financial reasons”, there has been speculation that Late Night was axed for political reasons. Colbert has been an outspoken critic of Trump since his initial inauguration in 2016.
Now, Springsteen – another vocal critic of the president – has hit out again at Trump during his performance of ICE protest song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ on Colbert’s show.
“I’m here in support tonight for Stephen, because you are the first guy in America who lost his show because we got a president who can’t take a joke… and because Larry and David Ellison feel they need to kiss his ass to get what they want,” Springsteen said.
“Stephen, these are small-minded people,” he added. “They got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about.”
Bruce Springsteen appeared on Stephen Colbert’s show tonight and COOKED Trump and his goons
“I’m here in support tonight for Stephen, because you are the first guy in America who lost his show because we got a president who can’t take a joke…. and because Larry and David… pic.twitter.com/WbAQ1sZfBG
— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) May 21, 2026
Trump publicly responded to the news of Late Night‘s cancellation at the time, writing: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!”
Colbert hit back at the President on his next show, feigning outrage and saying: “How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?”.
Turning to a camera marked “Eloquence Cam”, Colbert deadpanned in a New York accent: “Go fuck yourself”.
Colbert hasn’t just criticised Trump – he’s also spoken out against CBS’ parent company Paramount’s decision to settle a lawsuit with Trump for $16million (£12million).
The lawsuit was filed over claims that CBS News deceptively edited an interview with Trump’s 2024 election rival Kamala Harris.
Meanwhile, Springsteen has been involved in multiple heated disputed with Trump himself, in which he has called for the POTUS to be impeached and “consigned to the trash heap of history”. He has also previously described the president as “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous”.
In response, Trump has branded The Boss as a “pushy, obnoxious JERK” and a “dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker”.
Springsteen also used his first tour date to criticise Trump and the actions of ICE following the killing of two of the city’s citizens – Renee Good and Alex Pretti. He also claimed that US citizens were “living through some very dark times” as the “American values that have sustained us for 250 years are being challenged as never before.”
Meanwhile, the White House slammed Springsteen’s tour before it had even commenced, with Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung saying: “When this loser Springsteen comes back home to his own City of Ruins in his head, he’ll realise his Glory Days are behind him and his fans have left him Out in the Street, putting him in a Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out because he has a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his brain”.
Elsewhere, Bruce Springsteen has made a powerful statement after an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.