US Musicians Union responds to Trump’s rant about Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift

The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has issued a statement defending Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen after Donald Trump attacked them on social media.

“[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,” reads the statement from AFM President Tino Gagliardi. “Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world.”

Gagliardi went on to praise the singers for their “timeless” music with “deep cultural meaning,” adding: “Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members.”

It comes after the President shared several posts on Truth Social on Friday (May 16), criticising the two musicians. “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’” he wrote, in reference to posts he made last year over Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in the US Presidential election.

His attacks on Springsteen saw him declare that he “never liked” his music, adding that The Boss was “dumb as a rock” and a “dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker”.

The President wrote: “I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States. Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK.”

It followed Springsteen making multiple speeches criticising him at his show in Manchester earlier this week, where he decried the actions of the US president and his administration’s “corruption” and “incompetence”.

Springsteen has long been a staunch critic of Donald Trump. He publicly endorsed Kamala Harris in November’s presidential election and performed at one of her rallies, and has previously described Trump as “mentally ill”.

In addition, he opened a show just after the election with a “fighting prayer” for the US following Donald Trump‘s victory.

Springsteen’s show in Manchester was the first night of a UK and European run that will last until July.