Bruce Springsteen Keeps Slamming Trump Because ‘A Lot of People Bought Into His Lies’: ‘If Congress Had Guts, He’d Be Consigned to the Trash Heap of History’

Fifty years after his first appearance, Bruce Springsteen graces the cover of Time magazine once more, this time for a deeply personal retrospective on his life and the enduring resonance of his songs. The 1975 cover, which coincided with a similar feature in Newsweek, anointed him as rock and roll's new standard-bearer following the release of his breakthrough album, "Born to Run." That record, a sweeping epic of youthful yearning and blue-collar dreams, instantly cemented his status and laid the thematic groundwork—centered on struggle, escape, and redemption—for his entire subsequent career.

The new interview reveals a significant evolution in the artist's political engagement. While Springsteen was measured in his criticism of Donald Trump back in 2017, his stance has since intensified, first through his acclaimed Broadway show and now in response to the former president's renewed political ambitions. This has ignited a very public feud. Springsteen has labeled Trump's tenure "corrupt, incompetent and treasonous," while Trump has retaliated with personal barbs, infamously calling the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer "dumb as a rock."

In his most forceful condemnation to date, Springsteen tells Time that his artistic integrity prevents him from giving Trump a "free pass." He directly confronts the former president's populist image, asserting, "He doesn’t care about the forgotten — anybody but himself and the multibillionaires who stood behind him on Inauguration Day." Yet the interview also captures a somber realism from the singer, who observes that a substantial part of the country seems accepting of a political philosophy based on "power and dominance." This chasm, as cultural analysts like Dr. Anya Sharma of the Brookings Institution note, reflects a deep-seated polarization that has been widening for decades, suggesting that the current political climate is a symptom of a much longer-term societal shift.

When asked about Trump's insults, Springsteen is bluntly dismissive: "I absolutely couldn’t care less what he thinks about me." He then offers a stark constitutional judgment, describing Trump as "the living personification of what the 25th Amendment and impeachment were for." His critique, however, extends to the opposition. He voices deep frustration with the Democratic party's failure to mount an effective counter-narrative, arguing the country is "desperately in need of an effective alternative party, or for the Democratic Party to find someone who can speak to the majority of the nation." He pinpoints a fundamental communication breakdown, suggesting the party's message is failing to connect with average citizens on a visceral level. The complete, wide-ranging conversation is featured in the latest edition of Time magazine.