Last Updated: April 16, 2026
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Bruce Springsteen’s ex-drummer urges respect amid criticism of Trump
Last Updated: April 16, 2026
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A political fight has broken out around Bruce Springsteen’s current tour, and it is now drawing commentary from someone who helped launch his career. Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez, Springsteen’s former drummer and an original member of the E Street Band orbit, says the singer’s onstage attacks on President Donald Trump go too far on Twitter.
Springsteen, 76, has used shows on his Land of Hope and Dreams Tour to criticize Trump directly, according to comments described in a California Post interview with Lopez. Trump, 79, has responded publicly by urging supporters to boycott Springsteen’s concerts and attacking him personally.
Lopez says he is not trying to silence Springsteen, but he wants more respect shown to the office and less division among Americans.
Springsteen targets Trump on tour
Since launching the tour in Minneapolis on March 31, Springsteen has repeatedly criticized Trump during his performances, according to the California Post interview with Lopez. The reported remarks include calling the administration “corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless, and treasonous.” The same account says Springsteen also mocked Trump as a “president who can’t handle the truth.”
What makes those lines travel is the setting and the speed of modern clip-sharing. A few minutes of stage talk can be recorded, reposted, and debated nationally within hours, often without full context from the rest of the show. That reality has turned touring into a high-visibility platform where political statements can shape headlines as much as setlists.
Lopez urges respect in dissent
Lopez told the California Post, “You gotta have respect for the president,” and he repeated that Trump is the president of the United States. He said that if he were standing with Trump, he would show “much respect for the man.” Lopez added that he would not raise “anything that’s going on” in politics in a direct conversation with him.
He also tried to draw a line between civility and censorship. Lopez said he is “not against what Bruce is saying,” and he supports Springsteen’s right to speak out. Still, he argued that politics should not divide Americans as deeply as it does now, and he noted he has voted Republican in races from local offices to Congress.
Their history traces back to early NJ bands
Lopez’s criticism carries extra weight because his history with Springsteen starts at the beginning. In 1969, Lopez, Springsteen, Vinnie Roslin, and Danny Federici formed a band called Child, later known as Steel Mill, and they played together until 1971. After that, Springsteen formed the E Street Band, with Lopez included in the original lineup.
Lopez told the outlet he left because he was “too jazzy for what Springsteen wanted to do,” describing a musical difference rather than a personal feud. Even after the departure, Lopez has rejoined Springsteen publicly in major moments. The California Post interview notes Lopez played with Springsteen and the band at the E Street Band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in April 2014.
Fun fact: Bruce Springsteen received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, awarded by President Barack Obama.
Lopez keeps politics out of shows
Lopez said his current group, the Wonderful Winos, does not bring political messaging into performances. “My band, whatever we think, we don’t go there in our music,” he told the California Post. He contrasted that with Springsteen’s past statements that this tour would be “political and very topical about what’s going on in the country.”
That gap reflects a real split in how veteran performers handle polarized audiences. Some artists see the stage as a civic megaphone, especially during major national moments, while others treat it as a space built for escape and community. Lopez framed his choice as a way to avoid turning crowds into opposing camps for two or three hours.
The Bedminster meeting shaped the view
Lopez also told the outlet he worked for years as a golf caddy and once met Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, before Trump became president. Lopez said Trump was “very nice” and “very inquisitive,” and that Trump introduced him to Melania Trump. Lopez said he knew about Trump’s conservative politics at the time, but still described the interaction as respectful.
As Lopez recalled it, Trump pulled him aside while he was leaving and asked for a “big favor.” Lopez said Trump told him, “Tell Bruce I’m his biggest fan.” The story illustrates how quickly a casual celebrity interaction can later become politically charged when the people involved become symbols in a national argument.
Boycott call shows rapid escalation
Trump recently called on supporters to boycott Springsteen’s “overpriced” tour, posting a personal attack on Truth Social earlier this month, according to the text quoted in the same reporting. In the post, Trump insulted Springsteen and accused him of “partisans on both sides amplify it” while also praising his own electoral performance.
The real-world effect is less about one night’s ticket count and more about how culture fights spread. Boycott rhetoric can reshape the online narrative around a tour, pressure promoters and venues to prepare for protests, and pull fans into political identity tests.
Lopez, for his part, told the California Post he does not plan to attend this run of shows, while also saying he and Springsteen remain on “perfect” terms and keep in occasional contact.
TL;DR
- Springsteen has criticized President Trump during shows on his Land of Hope and Dreams Tour, including calling the administration “treasonous,” per an interview account.
- Former E Street drummer Vini Lopez says Americans should show respect for the president, even amid political disagreement.
- Lopez says he supports Springsteen’s right to speak, but he worries politics is deepening national division.
- Lopez described meeting Trump at Bedminster, saying Trump asked him to tell Springsteen he was a fan.
- Trump responded by urging supporters to boycott Springsteen’s “overpriced” concerts in a Truth Social post.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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