Bruce Springsteen slams ‘King Trump’ and ‘federal thugs’ in new Minneapolis protest song
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Bruce Springsteen, one of the staunchest Trump critics in music, has released a new song dedicated to Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two civilians who were shot dead by ICE agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks.
In “Streets of Minneapolis,” Springsteen hurls insults at Trump and his ICE agents’ ongoing invasion of the Minnesota city with pointed lyrics about “King Trump” and his “private army.”
“I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” Springsteen said in a statement. “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
The “Born in the USA” singer’s lyrics refer to ICE and Border Patrol agents as “federal thugs” who killed Pretti and left him to “lay in the snow, dead.”
Springsteen also name-drops DHS head Kristi Noem and homeland security advisor Stephen Miller and their “dirty lies,” referencing their claims that agents fired on Good and Pretti in self-defense.
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Bruce Springsteen has slammed Trump and ICE in a profound new song about the tragedies in Minneapolis (Getty Images for AFI)
Good, a mother-of-three, was killed January 7 by ICE agents, while Pretti, an ICU nurse, was gunned down by Border Patrol officials on January 24. Both shootings have ignited outrage and sparked protests across the country.
Pretti and Good are mentioned by name throughout the song, including with the profound stanza: “And there were bloody footprints / Where mercy should have stood / And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
The song candidly touches on the fear instilled in millions of Americans under the Trump administration, as ICE threatens immigrants and also legal U.S. residents. “Now they say they’re here to uphold the law / But they trample on our rights / If your skin is black or brown my friend / You can be questioned or deported on sight,” Springsteen bellows.
Chants of “ICE out” are also included on the track, echoing calls from politicians, celebrities, and civilians alike for Trump to remove the agents from Minneapolis and other cities across the U.S.
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Renee Good was shot by ICE agents January 7 (AP)
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Alex Pretti was shot January 24 by Border Patrol agents (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)
When approached for comment, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told The Independent: “The Trump Administration is focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities — not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information. The media should cover how Democrats have refused to work with the Administration, and instead, opted to provide sanctuary for these criminal illegals.”
Springsteen has repeatedly taken aim at Trump and ICE, most recently doing so on January 17 in a surprise appearance at the Light of Day Winterfest in his home state of New Jersey. A longtime critic of Trump — with whom Springsteen publicly sparred last year — the 76-year-old rocker slammed the administration while introducing his 1978 song, “The Promised Land,” and called for ICE to “ get the f*** out of Minneapolis.”
In the hours since the new song’s release, Springsteen has been applauded for composing “a much-needed balm for our wounded souls,” as one fan commented on his Instagram post.
“My BOSS forever. True American Patriot,” another commented, referring to Springsteen’s long-time nickname, while a third wrote, “bruce, thank you. this is what musicians can and should do with the platforms they have.”
