Bruce Springsteen Reveals His Band Had No Idea About His Fiery Speech Before Show

Bruce Springsteen has revealed that his fiery onstage condemnation of President Donald Trump earlier this year came as a complete surprise to the E Street Band.

The outspoken monologue, delivered during the opening night of Springsteen’s Land of Hope and Dreams tour at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, was later released as part of an EP of the same name. But according to a new Time magazine interview, even his closest bandmates had no idea what was coming.

“I told them things might get a little heavy that night,” Springsteen admitted, “but I didn’t share the full details.”

Saxophonist Jake Clemons confirmed the band was in the dark. “He mentioned he was going to do a monologue,” Clemons said. “We didn’t know what it was until we were already on stage.”

In fact, only two people knew what Springsteen planned to say: his longtime manager Jon Landau, who signed off on the speech, and the show’s teleprompter operator.

“This Is Happening Now” — A Stark Political Warning

Standing before a sold-out crowd, Springsteen delivered a scathing critique of what he called a “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous” U.S. administration. He warned that civil liberties were under attack, that free speech was being punished, and that the wealthy were turning their backs on the world’s most vulnerable populations.

“There’s some very weird, strange, and dangerous stuff going on right now,” he said. “In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech… The richest men are abandoning the world’s poorest children… They’re rolling back civil rights, defunding universities, and siding with dictators.”

Despite the bleak tone, Springsteen ended with a message of resilience:
“The America I’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real. It has its faults, but it’s a great country with great people. We’ll survive this moment.”

Springsteen Responds to Trump, Looks Ahead

President Trump responded in typical fashion, lashing out on social media by calling Springsteen a “dried out prune” and “not a talented guy.” But Springsteen appears unbothered by the personal attacks.

“I absolutely couldn’t care less what he thinks about me,” he told Time. “He’s exactly the kind of person the 25th Amendment and impeachment were designed for. If Congress had any guts, he’d be relegated to the trash heap of history.”

Springsteen also turned his criticism toward the Democratic Party, saying the U.S. is in urgent need of a stronger political alternative. “We need an effective opposition party,” he said, “or for the Democrats to find someone who can speak to the majority of the nation.”

‘Born in the U.S.A.’ Gets the Nebraska Treatment

On the music front, Springsteen has finally released the long-anticipated Nebraska version of his classic anthem “Born in the U.S.A.” The stripped-back recording appears on the upcoming expanded edition of his 1982 album Nebraska.

Due out October 17 via 4LP/Blu-ray and 4CD/Blu-ray sets, the Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition includes a remastered version of the original album, eight tracks from the Electric Nebraska sessions, nine previously unreleased outtakes, and a full solo acoustic live performance of the album recorded earlier this year at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey.