Trump Hits Back At Springsteen With 'Golf Ball' In Edited Online Video

Forbes

21-05-2025

Bruce Springsteen performs during the first night of his 'The Land of Hopes and Dreams' tour at ... More Co-op Live on May 14, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by)
President Donald Trump took a swing at rock legend Bruce Springsteen in an edited video first shared on Trump's Truth Social platform. In the eight-second video, Trump is seen teeing off on a golf course, wearing his signature white shirt and black pants. In the second half, an animated ball strikes Springsteen in the back, and he is then seen falling on a stage.
The edited clip used footage from one of Springsteen's shows, where he had tripped on stage. It was the latest in a series of exchanges between the president and the rocker, and it likely won't be the last.
Though Springsteen has long been critical of Trump, the two have become increasingly vocal about their respective dislike for one another.
"The America I love, the America I've written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration," Springsteen said last week during the opening show of his European tour.
The Trump administration initially responded to Springsteen's comments in a statement saying, "The 77 million Americans that elected President Trump disagree with elitist and out-of-touch celebrities like Bruce Springsteen." Still, later Trump wrote on Truth Social, "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, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country."
The latest salvos between the two men are certainly being amplified by social media, where their respective supporters were quick to rally and add fuel to the fire. This feud follows the same playbook as other celebrity beefs.
On some level, it is almost comedic.
As The Associated Press noted, there are similarities between the two. They're both "guys in their 70s with homes in New Jersey and big constituencies among white American men middle-aged and older. And both, in very different respects, are the boss." Yet, it is still somewhat embarrassing to see a 75-year-old singer offering such blunt commentary about the nearly 79-year-old president, while it may be even more uncomfortable to see the leader of the free world offering a meme directed at someone he dislikes!
Though it is true that Springsteen has always been political, he's spent his life only singing about the working man, never really being one, while Trump has shown himself to be unable to take any level of criticism.
"When Bruce Springsteen first came on the scene in the 1970s, he was referred to as 'the new Dylan' in the press. Bruce was uncomfortable with the comparison at the time, but it seems prescient in hindsight: both men have displayed an unwavering commitment to their personal truths, regardless of the consequences," explained Bruce Barber, professional in residence and general manager of 88.7 WNHU at the University of New Haven.
The carefully edited meme also serves as a reminder that there will never be any love lost between the two.
"This moment between a politician and a rock star says everything about how cultural capital is wielded — not just to entertain, but to influence," added Angeli Gianchandani, global brand strategist and adjunct instructor of marketing and public relations at New York University.
Trump rarely turns the other cheek, but the White House may have a point that celebrities shouldn't criticize the country while touring across Europe. At the same time, should the president be sharing memes at all?
To paraphrase Bob Dylan, the times are indeed changing, at least in how politicians like Trump respond to those who offer such opposing views.
"President Trump is following a common social media messaging pattern for dealing with an attack — which is to attack back," said Dr. Cliff Lampe, professor of information and associate dean for academic affairs in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. "When a person is criticized on social media, there are a few common responses you can follow. One is to ignore it, another is to respond and try to de-escalate. President Trump has commonly followed a third tactic, which is to respond and escalate the attack."
He suggested that particular strategy offers an advantage in that it floods the attention spans of any audience.
"It becomes a noisy 'he said/he said' argument," Lampe continued. "President Trump is banking on the idea that his base does not see this as non-normative behavior for a sitting president, and in fact, I believe he has learned that they respond positively to the more acerbic he is in his attacks on his critics."
The other takeaway is that the rocker, in blue jeans and holding a guitar, may have spoken from the heart, while the politician, who is seen daily in a suit and tie, took a more counter-culture approach of using a meme to hit back at his opponent.
"This isn't just Trump vs. Springsteen," said Gianchandani. "It's a master class in cultural warfare. One leads with soul and protest; the other with memes and mockery. In today's attention economy, belief is the new currency — and both men are cashing in. What we're really seeing is two aging icons fighting for the narrative of America: one built on dignity, the other on dominance."
It is also a reminder that Springsteen remains relevant when he is more critical of the occupant in the Oval Office, even if that brings him into direct confrontation with the sitting president.
"Today's political climate has made us all painfully aware of the risks of speaking our truths, and the stakes are obviously much higher when doing so as a public figure in a digitally connected world. To me, this is the difference between a good musician and a great one," said Barber.
Moreover, neither is just performing. Even as grumpy old men, each still very much has his soapbox. Springsteen may be on stage, while Trump is on social media.
"They're shaping how millions see power, patriotism, and identity," added Gianchandani. "Culture isn't a sideshow — it's the whole game now."