The Boss calls out Democrats and warns of America’s political crossroads
In a candid interview with TIME, Bruce Springsteen didn’t mince words about his frustration with the Democratic Party. “We’re desperately in need of an effective alternative party,” he asserted, adding that unless Democrats find “someone who can speak to the majority of the nation,” their current path is unsustainable.
Springsteen framed his critique in historical perspective, referencing America’s post-industrial decline and the fallout from the 2008 financial crash. “Those conditions are ripe for a demagogue,” he said, warning that political neglect creates fertile ground for divisive leaders.
When asked directly about Donald Trump, The Boss responded with characteristic bluntness. While conceding that “a good number of Americans are simply comfortable with his politics of power and dominance,” he also insisted that lies alone don’t explain Trump’s appeal. “I absolutely couldn’t care less what he thinks about me,” Springsteen added, urging that Congress should’ve had the courage to convict him during impeachment proceedings: “He’s the living personification of what the 25th Amendment and impeachment were for.”
Springsteen also reflected on his catalog, particularly Born in the U.S.A.: “To understand that song, you’ve got to hold two contradictory thoughts at once: that you can feel betrayed by your country and still love it.”
Alongside politics, Springsteen has been busy musically. He recently released the long-gestating Electric Nebraska Sessions, now available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, while his upcoming biopic starring Jeremy Allen White is set to hit cinemas this October.
Want to dive deeper? Read the full TIME interview, spin the Electric Nebraska Sessions today, and revisit classics like Born in the U.S.A. to hear how Springsteen’s political vision has always been etched into his art.
