President Donald Trump has often landed in hot water with his outspoken remarks—like when he dismissed Bruce Springsteen as a “dried out prune.”
The feud between Trump and Springsteen is anything but subtle, and now the rivalry has sparked even more heat. Joining Springsteen’s camp is none other than Bono, who’s firmly throwing his support behind the rock legend in this fierce clash.
The drama unfolded recently when U2’s 65-year-old frontman, Bono, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and declared boldly, “There’s only one boss in America.”
The tension dates back to May, when Bruce Springsteen kicked off his European tour in Manchester by blasting the U.S. leadership as “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous.”
Trump didn’t hold back, firing off a sharp retort calling Springsteen a “dried out prune of a rocker” and warning that the singer might face consequences upon returning to America.
Bono also addressed the unexpected social media attack Trump launched at him on May 19, where the former president lumped him in with other artists allegedly paid to perform for Democrat Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election. Trump tweeted:
“WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???”
The fiery exchanges show the high stakes and sharp words flying in this ongoing battle between Trump and some of America’s biggest music icons.
Bono fired back with a clear message: “U2 and I were never paid — nor did we ever play — a show to support any candidate from any party. That has never happened.”
He didn’t hold back on criticizing Trump’s preferred platform either, commenting on Truth Social: “It’s called ‘Truth Social’ — but it seems pretty antisocial and, frankly, it’s not very truthful most of the time.”
Looking back to the months before the 2016 election, Bono expressed deep concern about the kind of country America would become under Trump’s leadership — and what that would mean for people around the world who “love the idea of America.”
He warned passionately: “Good people are not going to stand silently while you run off with the American dream.”
Just one month later, Trump was elected president for the first time, setting the stage for the turbulent years that followed.