Bruce Springsteen released a six-song live EP on Tuesday from his recent Manchester, England, concert, which doubled as a fiery political broadside against President Donald Trump.
The “Land of Hopes and Dreams” EP, recorded during Springsteen’s May 14 performance at Co-op Live, captures both music and Springsteen’s political message. The EP features extended on-stage speeches in which the rock icon accuses Trump — without naming him — of leading a “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.”
“The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock ‘n’ roll, in dangerous times,” Springsteen told the crowd. “We ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism, and let freedom ring.”
Trump responded to Springsteen’s recent criticisms on Wednesday by posting an edited video on his Truth Social account that shows the president hitting a golf ball that appears to strike Springsteen during a performance, causing him to fall on stage. Trump, 78, also recently referred to the 74-year-old musician as a “dried out prune.”
“Never liked him, never liked his music or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy — just a pushy, obnoxious JERK,” Trump recently wrote on social media.
Springsteen’s lengthy remarks, which can be heard in the EP’s first track, “Land of Hope and Dreams (Introduction)” and fifth track “My City of Ruins (Introduction),” include blistering criticism of the U.S. government’s treatment of immigrants, civil rights and freedom of speech.
“This is all happening now,” Springsteen said. “A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government.”
The Manchester show opened Springsteen’s latest U.K. tour and marks a sharp escalation in his long-running public feud with Trump. Springsteen has repeatedly criticized the Trump since 2016, when he called him a “conman” and a “moron.”
Full transcript of Springsteen’s remarks as heard in “Land of Hopes and Dreams” EP:
“Land of Hopes and Dreams (Introduction):
“Good evening. It’s great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour. The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in dangerous times.
In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.
Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us. Raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring.”
“My City of Ruins (Introduction)”:
“Now, there’s some very weird, strange and dangerous s— going on out there right now.
In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.
In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now.
In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain that they inflict on loyal American workers, they’re rolling back historic Civil Rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society, they’re abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom.
They’re defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands. They’re removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now.
A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government.
They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American. The America that I’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real, and regardless of its faults, is a great country with a great people.
So we’ll survive this moment.
Now, I have hope because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, in this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like. But there’s enough.
Let’s pray.”
