Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
The legendary rocker appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday, May 20, where he delivered a performance of Streets of Minneapolis.
Bruce Springsteen criticized Donald Trump during his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The rock legend appeared on the Wednesday, May 20 episode — the second-to-last installment of Stephen Colbert’s long-running late-night program. Before performing his song Streets of Minneapolis, Springsteen expressed disappointment over the show’s cancellation and took aim at the president, accusing him of being unable to handle humor.
“I’m here tonight to stand by Stephen because he’s the first person in America to lose a show over a president who can’t laugh at himself,” Springsteen said. He also referenced billionaire Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison, alleging they were trying to stay in Trump’s favor following their takeover of Paramount Global and CBS.
Springsteen went on to call the individuals involved “small-minded,” adding that they fail to understand the freedoms the country is meant to represent. He then dedicated “Streets of Minneapolis” to Colbert. The track centers on protests in Minneapolis connected to ICE activity and immigration crackdowns tied to Trump-era deportation policies.
A spokesperson for the White House, Davis Ingle, responded by criticizing Colbert, saying CBS ended the program because of poor ratings and lack of appeal.
Springsteen first debuted the song live at Defend Minnesota benefit concert in January, where it later reached the top spot on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart.
Colbert has hosted The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since 2015. In July 2025, he revealed that CBS had decided to cancel the program after 11 seasons. At the time, he thanked the network and audience for the opportunity, while CBS stated the decision was based solely on financial pressures affecting late-night television.
