Bruce Springsteen Criticizes President Trump and Paramount at Colbert's Penultimate Late Show
Bruce Springsteen appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 20, 2026, and criticized President Trump and Paramount executives. He performed his January song about immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. The final episode of the show airs May 21.
EuronewsBruce Springsteen appeared on the second-to-last episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 20, 2026, and criticized President Trump along with CBS parent company Paramount Skydance. Springsteen said he was there to support Colbert, calling him the first person in America to lose his show because of a president who cannot take a joke.
He also said Larry and David Ellison feel they need to kiss the president's ass to get what they want.
The 76-year-old musician then performed his song Streets of Minneapolis, which he released in January. The track references two anti-ICE protesters, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were killed during immigration enforcement operations in the city. Springsteen performed the song in front of an image of the American flag with the words RESISTANCE, TRUTH, and HOPE projected on a wall.
The lyrics accuse Trump advisor Stephen Miller and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem of peddling falsehoods about the two protesters.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end its nearly 11-year run on May 21, 2026. 4 billion in August 2025. David Ellison, the former CEO of Skydance Media, became CEO of the merged Paramount Skydance. The network has stated that the cancellation was a financial decision because the show was losing approximately $40 million annually.
Critics including David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel have questioned whether political factors played a role. President Trump has previously called Colbert a pathetic trainwreck with no talent. Trump has also described Springsteen as a pushy, obnoxious jerk in past statements.
m. ET on May 21, 2026.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- January 2026
Bruce Springsteen released the song Streets of Minneapolis.
2 sourcesEuronews · New York Post - May 20, 2026
Bruce Springsteen appeared on the second-to-last episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
2 sourcesEuronews · New York Post - May 21, 2026
The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is scheduled to air.
2 sourcesEuronews · New York Post
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