Tom Morello isn’t one to sit quietly — and Donald Trump’s latest swipe at Bruce Springsteen just gave him another reason to turn up the volume.
During a solo set at Boston Calling on May 25, the Rage Against the Machine guitarist played with a massive “FUCK TRUMP” banner behind him — subtle as always — and unloaded on the former president for targeting Springsteen. “Bruce is going after Trump because Bruce, his whole life, he’s been about truth, justice, democracy, equality,” Morello said. “And Trump is mad at him because Bruce draws a bigger audience. Fuck that guy!”
The comments came in the wake of Springsteen’s own shots at Trump during a UK show earlier this month, where he called him “an unfit president” and accused him of leading a “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.” Trump, ever the troll, fired back on Truth Social, calling Springsteen a “dried-out prune of a rocker” and “not a talented guy.” He also shared a bizarre fake video of himself knocking Springsteen over with a golf ball.
Morello, who’s played live with Springsteen over the years, didn’t hold back — and even joked that his set might be “the last big event before they throw us all in jail.” He also flipped his guitar mid-set to reveal “FUCK ICE” scrawled on the back, keeping the message crystal clear.
This isn’t new territory. Morello’s been dragging Trump for years — calling him an “orange-faced demagogue” in interviews and slapping anti-Trump slogans on his gear since the Prophets of Rage days. When MAGA fans tried using Killing In the Name at rallies in 2020, he was one of the first to call it out for what it was: a total misunderstanding of the band’s message.
Morello’s not alone either. Neil Young, Eddie Vedder, and a long list of musicians have all rallied around Springsteen, framing the backlash as a distraction from the real work of defending democracy.
As Morello made clear onstage in Boston: rock and roll might not save us, but it’s not shutting up anytime soon.
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