From the San Siro stage, a defiant cry against Trumpism and authoritarianism
30 June: Among the highlights of our summer, the Bruce Springsteen concert in Milano stands out as one of the most powerful—for the music, his hoarse, unmistakable voice, the legendary E Street Band, and the worldview it delivered. It was a celebration of rock and all its rebellious, soulful energy—channelled in defence of democracy.
A Land of Hope and Dreams is, in fact, a political tour—a heartfelt defence of the American values being eroded by Trumpism.
From the San Siro stage, Bruce Springsteen delivered not just a performance but a manifesto. A clear, unwavering act of resistance against authoritarianism and the toxic legacy of Trump. Dressed in a quietly sharp, impeccable style—a statement of elegance and restraint—he stood for the America he’s sung about for fifty years. An America that seems lost. Actually, an America we barely recognise.
“The America I’ve sung about for nearly 50 years is real despite all its flaws: it’s an incredible country with incredible people.”
“There are problems in every home, so thank you for listening to mine.”
Bruce Springsteen in Milano: Music as a rallying cry for democracy
In essence, Springsteen’s message was clear. Italian subtitles on screen translate his speech. His bold words—an unfiltered indictment:
“The America I love is in the hands of a corrupt, treacherous, and incompetent administration. Tonight, we ask you to stand up for democracy, to raise your voice against authoritarianism, and to let freedom ring.
Right now, things are happening that are altering the true nature of democracy in our countries, and they are too important to ignore: the abuses of a president and a dishonest government.
In America, my home, people who exercise their freedom of speech and voice their dissent are being persecuted. This is happening right now.
The richest men find satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to disease and death. In my country, they are sadistically enjoying the pain inflicted on honest American workers.
They are betraying our strongest allies and siding with dictators, against those who fight for freedom. They are defunding American universities that refuse to bow to their ideological demands. And they are abducting American residents off the streets without due process, deporting them to detention centres and foreign prisons.
But I have hope that we will survive this too.”
Springsteen holds nothing back. He steps into the front row, gifts his harmonica to the crowd, embraces the audience, and lets the fans embrace him in return. Also, he thanks the fans for listening—then closes with these words:
“I have hope because I believe in the profound truth voiced by the great American writer James Baldwin: ‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.’ In this world, there may not be as much humanity as we wish existed—but there is enough.”
Final thoughts
Springsteen didn’t just make the San Siro crowd sing, dance, and sweat—especially with his grand finale: Born in the U.S.A., Born to Run, Dancing in the Dark. He didn’t just give us a night of rock anthems—he gave us a call to arms. He left us with something even more powerful: a defiant cry, a musical and moral stand against Trumpism and authoritarianism.
In an era of rising authoritarianism, his defiance was a reminder: the fight for democracy isn’t just political—it’s cultural. And it’s ours to wage.
These values resonate more deeply than the divisive forces shaping today’s world.