In a new interview, Bruce Springsteen has detailed the political focus of his upcoming Land of Hope and Dreams Tour with the E Street Band, set to begin Tuesday in Minneapolis and conclude May 27 in Washington, D.C. He likened the current U.S. climate to 1968 and announced additional protest performances and collaborators.
Following the February announcement of the 20-show Land of Hope and Dreams Tour—which responds to events in Minneapolis and critiques the administration—Bruce Springsteen spoke to the Minnesota Star Tribune about its 'political and very topical' nature amid what he called a critically challenging moment for the nation's values, comparable to 1968.
Springsteen highlighted the E Street Band's role 'in tough times,' stating, 'These are the moments when I think we can be of real value and real worth to the community.' He plans to perform at Saturday's St. Paul’s No Kings protest, describing it as 'of great import.' Guitarist Tom Morello, who advised on Springsteen's 'Streets of Minneapolis' (debuted at Morello’s January anti-ICE protest), will join every show.
The White House dismissed the activism, with spokeswoman comments from January ignoring 'random songs with irrelevant opinions,' and spokesperson Steven Cheung mocking the tour as 'Trump Derangement Syndrome.' Springsteen responded undeterred: 'My job is very simple: I do what I want to do... The blowback is just part of it.'
Additionally, the ACLU partnered with Springsteen for an ad featuring 'Born in the U.S.A.' protesting a January 2025 executive order on birthright citizenship, ahead of Supreme Court arguments on April 1.