President Donald Trump has never shied away from controversy—and his latest jab is no exception. During a recent appearance, Trump took a swipe at music legend Bruce Springsteen, dismissively calling him a “dried out prune.”
It’s no secret there’s long-standing tension between Trump and Springsteen, but now the battle lines are being drawn more clearly. Enter Bono. The U2 frontman didn’t hesitate to throw his support behind Springsteen, making it clear whose side he’s on in this high-profile celebrity clash.
The political and cultural rift between Donald Trump and the entertainment world just got louder—and this time, U2’s Bono is stepping into the ring.
During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the 65-year-old frontman didn’t mince words. When asked about the rising tension between Trump and Bruce Springsteen, Bono simply said, “There’s only one boss in America.” A clear and bold statement siding with Springsteen.
The clash began in early May, when Springsteen kicked off his European tour in Manchester. From the stage, he criticized U.S. leadership, calling it “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous.” The remark didn’t sit well with Trump, who lashed out in response—mocking the iconic rocker as a “dried out prune” and warning that there could be consequences when Springsteen returned to the States.
But Trump didn’t stop there.
In a social media tirade on May 19, he dragged Bono into the feud. Without evidence, Trump claimed that artists like Beyoncé, Oprah, and Bono were paid to perform or support Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election. “WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???” he posted, fueling even more controversy.
With celebrities now choosing sides, the feud is far from over—and the cultural battleground ahead of the 2024 election just got a whole lot louder.
Bono didn’t take long to respond to Trump’s accusations. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, the U2 frontman firmly denied any political payouts or performances:
“U2 and I were never paid – or played – a show to support any candidate from any party. That has never happened.”
He also took aim at Trump’s preferred social media outlet, Truth Social, delivering a pointed critique:
“It’s called ‘Truth Social’ – seems to be pretty antisocial, and it’s not very true a lot of the time.”
This isn’t the first time Bono has voiced concern over Trump’s leadership. Back in 2016—before Trump’s first election win—Bono publicly questioned what kind of country America would become under his rule, especially for those around the world who, in Bono’s words, “love the idea of America.”
He didn’t mince words then either:
“Good people are not going to stand silently while you run off with the American dream.”
Just one month later, Trump was elected president—setting in motion years of division that now seem to be reaching the world of rock legends.