Former President Donald Trump has stirred the pot once again with his recent comments. Specifically he is going after glamorous celebrities that have publicly railed against him. That didn’t stop Trump from employing a thread of social media blasts to scare musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. In turn he lambasted them for their political endorsements and performances. This most recent tirade is symptomatic of Trump’s long-term difficulty in attracting the biggest marquee names to his campaign.
These new comments from Trump come as he’s still swallowing the negative press relating to his comments about the entertainment industry. He set his sights on Bruce Springsteen, calling him a “dried up old whiney rock and roller.” What he didn’t say is that Springsteen’s critiques of his administration are totally out of line. Springsteen has been outspoken during Trump’s presidency, taking the time during his stage concert in Manchester to provide blistering oratories on the dangers of Trumpism. He wrote, “We sing songs for a reason.”
“In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.”
Last cycle, the former president attempted to destroy Taylor Swift after she endorsed current Vice President Kamala Harris. He was unapologetic in articulating his opposition. Ever since Trump declared his hate for Swift, she has supposedly been losing popularity—and he proved his disappointment by posting about it. He stated,
“Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’”
In a broader critique, Trump alleged that Harris paid Springsteen for his “poor performance” during her campaign, raising questions about the legality of such endorsements. He stood up and called for an inquiry into the issue. He argued that candidates should not be allowed to purchase endorsements through reality television.
“HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT? WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS?”
Trump’s frustration over celebrity endorsements stems from his own experiences during the presidential election when he lacked significant talent support from A-list artists. He would argue, bruised by this lack, that the mood music is stronger yet. It has perhaps led to his recent bouts of entertainment industry scorn.
Or, at least, his list of aggrieved claims did not stop there, as he attacked high-profile musicians and performers such as Bono and Beyoncé. This exaggerated his specific anger with celebrity involvement in politics. He went on to say he is worried about the corruption he sees in the support these stars give to candidates running for office.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Tino Gagliardi, president of the New York City chapter of the American Federation of Musicians, defended Springsteen and Swift. He anchored deeply in the value of artistic expression and called out the illegality of Trump’s personal attacks against them. Gagliardi remarked,
“We will not remain silent as two of our members—Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift—are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States.”
His recent posts have already created a firestorm reaction from the entertainment industry. Simultaneously, they’ve prompted a reawakening of the debate surrounding the confluence of politics and celebrity culture. Bruce Springsteen on his European tour, with cities and towns scheduled through the end of July. He hasn’t scheduled any new dates to America so far.
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