Springsteen referred to Trump’s administration as “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous” during his “The Land of Hopes and Dreams” tour in Manchester, England, but when Trump says Springsteen is “overrated” and a “jerk,” host Willie Geist quipped, “Fact check, neither true.”
Of course, Morning Joe, Trump’s opinions are wrong and Hollywood’s are right, but just to be sure, they brought on Palmieri who published an article on Thursday for The Bulwark titled, “How Bruce Springsteen Gave Us a Roadmap for Surviving Trump.”
As Palmieri fumbled through her words, despite her previous role in the White House for communications, she admitted the most “courageous” thing Springsteen said all night was “we will survive this.” She also claimed:
To say that America, even as you acknowledge the way Trump fails democracy, even as you acknowledge the way that our system of checks and balances has not held him accountable, to say-to affirm that America will survive this is really buying into the exceptional nature of America. That even though this may cause--democracy may not survive if this happened in another country, there is something innate in the American people, that means we will survive this. There is something innate in the power of the American idea that means we will survive this.
The word “survive” was used multiple times throughout the segment, which leads to the question, why that specific word choice? To the left, it is difficult to admit the sitting President wants to secure the border, try to stop wars, and bring common sense back to America after the previous administration. “Surviving” looks like riding on celebrities' criticism of Trump as a coping mechanism.
Palmieri capped off the segment once again reiterating stating, "I wrote this piece, because I do think it does offer a path for those of us who are trying to figure out how do we orient ourselves in this second term to know we will survive this. If you know that, you can figure out from there how you’re going to get there."
The rhetoric presented highlights that the left still cannot comprehend Trump’s second term win or policies. It is no secret that entertainers have been using their platform to demonize Trump for a decade, but some fan bases are putting the foot down. Host Jonathan Lemire adds that cover bands for Springsteen are pulling the plug playing at local bars on the Jersey Shore because they were “angry at what The Boss himself had to say.”
The left’s criticism of Trump and the administration is displayed on media platforms when a celebrity says something outrageous towards Trump because it fits their agenda. If more people started to do what Springsteen's cover bands did in New Jersey, entertainers will have to accept that people just want entertainment from them, not politics.
Here is the transcript for the segment on May 29
MSNBC’s Morning Joe
May 29, 2025
7:24 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “How Bruce Springsteen Gave Us a Road Map for Surviving Trump” | By Jennifer Pamieri]
WILLIE GEIST: The public feud between President Trump and Bruce Springsteen intensified this month after the rock and roll hall of famer called Trump “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous.” President Trump has posted on social media that Springsteen is “overrated” and a “jerk.” Fact check, neither true and that Trump doesn't care for his radical left politics or his support of Joe Biden. Trump also posted a doctorate video showing him hitting Springsteen with a golf ball.
Let's bring in former White House Director of Communications to President Obama, Jen Palmieri. Her latest piece for The Bulwark is titled, “How Bruce Springsteen Gave Us a Roadmap for Surviving Trump”.
Jen, good morning, great to see you. You are uh Jersey by marriage. You are an honorary New Jerseyan so welcome aboard.
JENNIFER PALMIERI: Thank you!
GEIST: So talk a little bit about what you saw in this back and forth between Bruce and the President.
PALMIERI: So what um- I think what's missed, because I actually uh went to Manchester and.saw the second show of “The Land of Hopes and Dreams” tour and you know, it is really courageous that Bruce stood up to Trump in this way. That I thought that his critique of him was particularly like, really hit home because it's presented as patriotic defense of America. Right?
Bruce talks about in the America I love, this is happening and I think that's partly why it struck a chord with the American people. But the show is not about Trump and what I found you know, it was great to hear Bruce stand up to Trump the way he did. But what really moved me was when he said at the end of that litany of Trump being corrupt, incompetent and treasonous, “we will survive this,” right?
And it is – that is not something – that is a to say that America, even as you acknowledge the way Trump fails democracy, even as you acknowledge the way that our system of checks and balances has not held him accountable, to say – to affirm that America will survive this is really buying into the exceptional nature of America. That even though this may cause – Democracy may not survive if this happened in another country, there is something innate in the American people, that means we will survive this. There is something innate in the power of the American idea that means we will survive this.
And you know, I think that one of the reasons why the second resistance or a response to Trump in the second term has kind of failed to take real shape, real form is because we need a new orientation. Prior to this, like in the first term, it was we’re going to make sure he doesn’t get reelected. He did. Now what? And I think we need to hold onto this belief we will survive this and then you know what to do to protect America, to get it through.
JONATHAN LEMIRE: Jen, no question. Springsteen's words were cheered by many, and people took word, and were encouraged by them. But we should also take a moment to explore the other side of this, perhaps showing you just how tribal our politics are right now, how much politics have become an intrinsic part of their identity.
Because after Springsteen's those things, there was a backlash. Even in the Jersey Shore, we just showed that image where there were some bands – some bars, I should say, that announced they no longer want Springsteen cover bands to play there because they were so angry at what The Boss himself had to say.
What do you make of that? That someone who probably has been a Springsteen fan, his or her entire life, will be saying, ‘No, wait, no more. I'm picking Trump over him.’
PALMIERI: I mean this is kind of the – This is what you got to do – at this time I’m going to – When we’re trying to sure up some – sure up like these key parts of America is, you have to pick sides. And I think that you can do this in a w – And I think what was powerful about the way Bruce did it was, like I said, he presented it as a defense of America. He’s not bringing personalities into it. What he’s saying is embrace the best parts of America.
(...)
7:28:43 a.m. Eastern
PALMIERI: Not a lot of people are speaking up and the artistic community, and even as they do to – um – to attack Trump, they’re not doing the second piece of this, which is to say, I still believe that America will survive this. And you know, that part of the message is what I think hasn't necessarily gotten through yet and why I wrote this piece, because I do think it does offer a path for those of us who are trying to figure out how do we orient ourselves in this second term to know we will survive this. If you know that, you can figure out from there how you're going to get there.
GEIST: And by the way. Bruce has always been pretty transparent about his politics. And yet his fans, Republican Democrats and everything in between seem to stay with him. So I think he's pretty assured that will happen again here. Saying, quote, “we will survive this moment.”
