Story perspectives

Springsteen Debuts Protest Song, Pledges Proceeds, Blasts Trump

5/21/2026

Summary

Springsteen Protests

Bruce Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis” on Colbert’s Late Show on May 20 2026.
He supported Colbert and denounced President Donald Trump and David Ellison as “small-minded”.
The protest song, written after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January 2026, debuted live on Jan. 30.
Springsteen pledged the song’s proceeds to the families of Good and Pretti.
CBS cancelled Late Show in July 2025 after a $40 million loss.

Summary

Springsteen East Coast

Bruce Springsteen will perform at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 22, 2026.
He will follow with a May 24 show at TD Garden in Boston, his first New England appearance this month.
Springsteen is scheduled for a May 27 concert at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
His final May 2026 engagement will be at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on May 30.

Summary

Colbert Finale

Stephen Colbert announced his final episode will air on May 21, 2026.
Robert De Niro quipped about “2.5 million” Epstein files President Donald Trump still hasn’t released.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social after the cancellation, calling Stephen Colbert “less talented” and mocking Jimmy Kimmel and Greg Gutfeld.
Paramount settled for $16 million over a lawsuit claiming CBS deceptively edited a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Summary

Springsteen Condemned

White House spokesperson Steven Cheung condemned Bruce Springsteen before his tour, calling him a “loser” and accusing him of “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Steven Cheung mocked Bruce Springsteen’s career, saying his “Glory Days are behind him” and that his fans have left him “out in the Street.”
Bruce Springsteen released a statement in response to an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, though the content was not detailed.

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Springsteen Protests

Bruce Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis” on Colbert’s Late Show on May 20 2026.
He supported Colbert and denounced President Donald Trump and David Ellison as “small-minded”.
The protest song, written after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January 2026, debuted live on Jan. 30.
Springsteen pledged the song’s proceeds to the families of Good and Pretti.
CBS cancelled Late Show in July 2025 after a $40 million loss.

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