Bruce Springsteen Launches 2025 Tour with Blistering Anti-Trump Speech in Manchester
Bruce Springsteen didn’t just open his 2025 “Land of Hope and Dreams” European Tour in Manchester—he ignited it. The legendary rocker delivered one of his most impassioned political speeches yet, targeting Donald Trump’s return to power with a rallying cry for freedom, democracy, and resistance.
Taking the stage at Co-op Live in Manchester on May 14, Springsteen declared: “The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in dangerous times.” He denounced Trump’s administration as “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous,” calling on fans to raise their voices against rising authoritarianism in the U.S.
The concert’s opening tracks matched the tone. He launched into “Land of Hope and Dreams” and followed it with the biting “Death to My Hometown,” condemning corporate greed and economic destruction. For the first time ever, he performed “Rainmaker” live—a song from Letter to You that explores how demagogues exploit fear and misinformation.
The performance was as much protest as it was concert. “There’s some very weird, strange, and dangerous shit going on out there,” Springsteen said before playing “My City of Ruins.” He condemned free speech persecution, attacks on civil rights, and the abandonment of global humanitarian responsibilities, warning of a “rogue government” failing the American people.
Though politically supercharged, the night also featured classic crowd-pleasers like “Born to Run,” “Thunder Road,” and “Bobby Jean.” He closed with a surprise cover of Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom,” a song he hadn’t performed since 1988.
With this tour, Springsteen has shifted into full activist mode. Originally an extension of his Letter to You tour, the renamed “Land of Hope and Dreams Tour” reflects the urgency of our times—and The Boss’s unwavering commitment to speaking truth through rock & roll.