Bruce Springsteen Condemns ‘King Trump’s Private Army’ in ICE Protest Song Dedicated to Minneapolis

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Bruce Springsteen’s new song, “Streets of Minneapolis,” protests former President Trump’s policies on immigration in the city of Minneapolis.

The Grammy-winning artist announced the new song on Instagram Wednesday, dedicating it to the people of Minneapolis, recent immigrants, and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were tragically killed by federal agents just weeks apart.

In his song, Springsteen recounts how a federal force, described as “King Trump’s private army” from the Department of Homeland Security, arrived in Minneapolis carrying weapons. They claimed to be there to uphold the law, but the lyrics suggest a brutal reality. The song details a scene of violence, with images of bloodshed where compassion should have been, and tragically mentions two people – Alex Pretti and Renee Good – who were left to die on the snowy streets.

On January 7th, a 37-year-old mother of three was shot by an officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while she tried to leave a protest against the agency. Later, on January 24th, Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Springsteen revealed he wrote a song the same day Pretti was killed.

The singer explained they wrote the song on Saturday, recorded it on Sunday, and released it today as a reaction to the violence happening in Minneapolis.

Following the release of the song, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated that the Trump Administration is prioritizing cooperation between state and local Democrats and federal law enforcement to remove dangerous, undocumented criminals from communities, rather than focusing on songs containing opinions they disagree with and believe are factually incorrect.

Bruce Springsteen has consistently spoken out against Donald Trump, even during his first term, once calling him the most dangerous presidential candidate of his lifetime. Last year, he released a live EP with recordings from a Manchester, England concert, and before performing the title track, he stated that the United States was being led by a government he considered corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous.

Trump responded to Springsteen on Truth Social by telling him to be quiet and suggesting he should be investigated.

Springsteen’s new song takes aim at the government’s explanation of the shooting of Good and Pretti, where federal agents claimed self-defense. A lyric specifically calls out White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, accusing them of telling “dirty lies.”

After Saturday’s shooting, Miller called the suspect, Pretti, a “would-be assassin.” Governor Noem stated that the 37-year-old nurse was waving a gun and has maintained that both Pretti and Good committed acts of “domestic terrorism.” Trump and others in his administration have also defended the shootings, claiming Good and Pretti were threats to federal officers. However, videos of the incidents don’t support the claims made by federal officials.

In the song, Springsteen claims the government engages in racial profiling, singing that people with dark skin may be stopped and deported simply because of their race.

Following the shootings in Minneapolis and increased criticism of Trump’s immigration policies, several musicians have spoken out. Rock legend, age 76, is among them. Pop star Billie Eilish used social media to call on other celebrities to take a stand after the deaths of Good and Pretti. Singer Olivia Rodrigo also voiced her opposition, stating that the actions of ICE are unacceptable but that people can make a difference and expressing support for Minnesota.

Country singer Zach Bryan recently released a new song, “Bad News,” which includes lyrics protesting the Trump Administration’s recent immigration raids. The song features the lines, “And ICE is gonna come bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more / But got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone.”

The song then mentions Bruce Springsteen, nicknamed “The Boss,” with the lines, “The Boss stopped playing music, the energy died down / People are angrily flipping the bird and won’t stop / I have some bad news / The spirit of America is disappearing.” Bryan ends the song by repeating that final thought: “The fading of the red, white and blue.”

Springsteen’s song finishes with a repeating call-and-response section—the phrase “ICE out” is sung back and forth until the song ends.

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2026-01-29 03:06