The United States simply isn’t big enough for two Bosses.
That’s one takeaway from a new missive from the White House, which has dismissed Bruce Springsteen as a “loser” with “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and an atrophying brain, doing so by way of a statement that shows all the restraint of a heckler.
Springsteen last month laid into the Trump administration with his anti-ICE song, “Streets of Minneapolis,” inspired by what the Rock Hall-inducted singer called the “state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis.”
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Specifically, the song called out the killings of U.S. citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, who were gunned down in Minneapolis by immigration enforcement troops in the midst of the so-called Operation Metro Surge enforcement action that has seen thousands of border patrol and ICE troops descend on the city.
The White House had words at the time. One of which was to snub Springsteen as “irrelevant.”
Now, with the announcement that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will head back out on the Land of Hope and Dreams American tour, the White House has chimed in once more. Only this time, the titles of several choice Springsteen work are woven in for added effect.
“When this loser Springsteen comes back home to his own City of Ruins in his head, he’ll realize 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,” reads the message from White House comms director Steven Cheung, issued to Politico.
Springsteen is many things, but a “loser” isn’t one of them.
Across a 40 year-plus career, Springsteen has collected 20 Grammys, won an Oscar and a Tony, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a Kennedy Center Honor and, in November 2016, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
His album sales are north of 150 million, reps say, and there’s no sign of that brain rot.
After 129 shows, the Springsteen and E Street Band 2023-25 Tour grossed $729.7 million and sold 4.9 million tickets, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, for the biggest result of his career.
Springsteen found himself back at No. 1 with “Streets of Minneapolis,” which debuted atop Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart dated Feb. 7. It was the highest-selling song in the United States for the week, even with it being available for just two days of the tracking cycle.
“We are living through dark, disturbing and dangerous times, but do not despair — the cavalry is coming!” said Springsteen in a statement earlier this week, announcing the forthcoming tour.
He added, “We will be rocking your town in celebration and in defense of America — American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream — all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government in Washington, D.C. Everyone, regardless of where you stand or what you believe in, is welcome — so come on out and join the United Free Republic of E Street Nation for an American spring of Rock n’ Rebellion! I’ll see you there!”
The rock legend embarks on his 20-date arena outing at Minneapolis’ Target Center on March 31, and ends with one stadium show on May 27 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
