Bruce Springsteen criticized the Trump administration at the opening ceremony of his UK tour, accusing its officials of authoritarianism, repatriation of civil rights and illegal deportation.
Springsteen, 75, a well-known liberal, has long supported Democratic presidential candidate including former Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke at a concert in Manchester, England on Wednesday for the first time on his “Where to the Land of Hope and Dreams” trip.
"Tonight, the powerful E Street band is here to call for art, the power of justice in music, rock music in dangerous times," he said.
“In my home, the United States I love, the United States I write, is a beacon of hope and freedom for 250 years, currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonable government.”
Springsteen then asked democratic supporters to “raise your voice against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!” before starting the show.
Later in the show, he described what he saw in the United States under President Donald Trump.
"They persecuted people to use their freedom of speech and their right to express dissent," Springsteen said in his remarks.
He also accused the Trump administration of “abandoning the world’s poorest children’s illness and death” and “enjoying sadistic pleasures in the pain they exert on faithful American workers.”
"They are retreating from historic civil rights legislation, which has led to a more just and diverse society," Springsteen said. "They have abandoned our great allies and joined the dictator in opposition to those who struggle for their freedom."
"They are returning the residents to American universities that will not succumb to ideological requirements. They remove residents from the streets of the United States without proper legal procedures to deport them to foreign detention centers and prisons."
Springsteen also said that most elected representatives failed to protect Americans “from abuse by an inappropriate president and rogue administration.”
Nevertheless, he said: "I have sang with you for 50 years America is real, regardless of its shortcomings are a great country, and there is a great person."
He added: "So we will survive."
"The 77 million Americans elected President Trump disagree with elitists and disconnected celebrities like Bruce Springsteen. Bruce is welcome to stay overseas while hardworking Americans enjoy a safe border and cooling inflation, thanks to President Trump," the White House said in a statement.
This is not the first time Springsteen publicly criticized Trump, who called him a "blatant toxic narcissist" before being elected in 2016.
Springsteen is known for celebrating and critically studying American ideals, most notably his 1984 album "Born in Use", who criticized the Vietnam War and subsequent treatment of American veterans.
He will debut in late June 83 previously unreleased songs, 74 of which have never been heard by the public before.