Rock star Bruce Springsteen put President Donald Trump in his line of sights when he made the bold claim that Trump is committing a “crime against humanity.”
In a lengthy and wide-ranging interview with Esquire, Springsteen eventually got on to the topic of America and Donald Trump. Esquire’s interviewer Michael Hainey asked Springsteen, if he believes America is worse or better than in 1978 when Springsteen wrote Darkness on the Edge of Town.
Bruce Springsteen on America
Springsteen responded, “I don’t think it’s better.” When pressed on whether he then believes it’s worse Springsteen elaborated:
“Well, I guess forty years-plus would make it worse. And I do feel that people feel under siege, and sometimes for reasons that I don’t agree with and that are unfortunate. Like I say, whether it’s the changing face of the nation or . . . I think those people legitimately feel under siege. Their way of life is somehow threatened—is existentially threatened. And maybe that explains Trump and maybe it doesn’t, but . . . that’s always been a part of the American story. It continues to be a part of it today. At the time when I wrote those songs, I suppose it was a lot of what I was seeing around me.”
Springsteen Targets President Donald Trump
And Springsteen also had strong opinions on who he thinks has made the country worse, President Donald Trump.
While on stage at a concert Springsteen would tell his fans, “these are times when we’ve also seen folks marching, and in the highest offices of our land, who want to speak to our darkest angels, who want to call up the ugliest and most divisive ghosts of America’s past. And they want to destroy the idea of an America for all. That’s their intention.”
When asked who wants to destroy of an America for all, Springsteen specifically points to President Trump. “Well, I would be talking about our president. Probably number one. [He] has no interest in uniting the country, really, and actually has an interest in doing the opposite and dividing us, which he does on an almost daily basis.”
He would continue to describe President Trump’s actions as a “crime against humanity.”
“So that’s simply a crime against humanity, as far as I’m concerned. It’s an awful, awful message to send out into the world if you’re in that job and in that position. It’s just an ugly, awful message. You are intentionally trying to disenfranchise a large portion of Americans. I mean, you are simply . . . that’s unforgivable.”
He then tries to associate President Trump with the protestors in Charlottesville.
“And then there’s just the rise of—whether it’s the alt-right or the folks who were marching in Charlottesville with their tiki torches and all of that coming to the fore again, you know? Which our president was more than happy to play into and to play to. So these are folks who are invested in denying the idea of a united America and an America for all. It’s a critical moment. This has come so far to the surface, and it’s so toxic. And it appears to have a grip . . . and to be so powerful . . . in a lot of people’s lives at the moment. It’s a scary moment for any conscientious American, I think.”
Springsteen wasn’t done there as he continued to lambaste President Trump describing him as an “idiot.”
“I think that a lot of what’s going on has been a large group of people frightened by the changing face of the nation. There seems to be an awful lot of fear. The founding fathers were pretty good at confronting their fears and the fears of the country. And it’s the old cliché where geniuses built the system so an idiot could run it. We are completely testing that theory at this very moment. I do believe we’ll survive Trump. But I don’t know if I see a unifying figure on the horizon. That worries me. Because the partisanship and the country being split down the middle is something that’s gravely dangerous.”
However, he would go on to describe what he wishes for America:
“To go back to your question, what would my wish be? [Sighs] It’s corny stuff, but: Let people view themselves as Americans first, that the basic founding principles of the country could be adhered to, whether it’s equality or social justice. Let people give each other a chance.”
The Ties That Bind
Seemingly unable to escape Donald Trump, Springsteen then makes a comparison between President Trump and his song “The Ties That Bind.” Springsteen describes the song as being about “the bonds of your personal family.” He adds, “but also the ties you can’t break among your community and your fellow citizens. You can’t forsake those things. It’ll rot your core at the end of the day.” He then points to Donald Trump claiming he’s “deeply damaged,” “If you want to see someone who’s—look at Trump. He has forsaken a lot of these things, and it’s affected him. He’s deeply damaged at his core.
Springsteen describes him as “dangerous” because he forsook the ties, the bonds.
“Absolutely. That’s why he’s dangerous. Anyone in that position who doesn’t deeply feel those ties that bind is a dangerous man, and it’s very pitiful.”
Bruce Springsteen appears to be completely off his rocker and deeply afflicted by Trump Derangement Syndrome. He somehow believes Donald Trump is trying to divide the country when Trump’s own words contradict this idea.
Out of Touch with Reality
In the wake of the shooting at Pittsburgh, President Trump called for unity:
“Any acts or threats of political violence are an attack on our democracy, itself. No nation can succeed that tolerates violence or the threat of violence as a method of political intimidation, coercion, or control. As part of a larger national effort to bridge our divides and bring people together, the media also has a responsibility to set a civil tone and to stop the endless hostility and constant negative and oftentimes false attacks and stories. Have to do it. They’ve got to stop.”
In fact, President Trump’s Inaugural Address also called for unity:
“When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us, “how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. When America is united, America is totally unstoppable. There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.”
It’s clear Bruce Springsteen’s opinion of President Trump is not in line with the actual reality of the President’ actions and words. President Trump continues to work to unify the country, but as he points out the media works overtime in order to create division, an idea that Springsteen apparently has latched onto despite it not lining up with the facts and the reality of the situation.
What do you make of Bruce Springsteen’s comments? Do you agree with his wish for America? What about his opinion of Donald Trump?
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