President Donald Trump and his administration have been losing face because of immigration crackdowns. The streets of Minneapolis have been flooded with ICE agents, leading to the deaths of two people. Despite initially backing this move, criticism came soon after — this time from an artist with 20 Grammys.
On January 28, 2026, the American rock icon uploaded a song on his YouTube channel titled Streets of Minneapolis. The song instantly went viral, currently having 3.8 million views and over 297,000 likes. Bruce Springsteen’s latest work was a remembrance of the two victims, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by federal officers. The lyrics read,
“Where mercy should have stood/ And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets/ Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
That was not all, because Springsteen also went after Donald Trump, mocking him as “King Trump,” who has a “private army from the DHS” with guns attached to their belts. The agents have come to “Minneapolis to enforce the law.” The second verse of the song reads that he was “singing through the bloody mist,” and they would take a stand.
🚨 BREAKING: Music legend Bruce Springsteen just dropped a new protest song — “Streets of Minneapolis.” 🔥
He wrote it in direct response to the killings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good and the federal ICE operation in Minneapolis, and released it within days of the shootings.… pic.twitter.com/BJqhSaWZ8y
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) January 28, 2026
The musical criticism continued in the third verse, calling the agents “Trump’s federal thugs” and giving a chilling description of Pretti’s killing. The song sent a clear message from the protestors in the second-to-last verse, saying, “In chants of ICE out now/ Our city’s heart and soul persists.”
The song struck a chord with Minnesotans and people around the world, who have left comments in support of the track. A viewer wrote, “Thank you, Bruce, for letting the power of your music resonate throughout the world. In these difficult times, it takes courage to stand up for freedom.” Another added, “Thank you, Bruce, for a lifetime of giving voice to the American heartland — its pain, resilience, and humanity. Your music continues to speak when so many cannot.”
A third wrote, “I just played this song for Renee at her memorial. You have no idea how much this means to us, to our community, to those of us grieving.” Lastly, a viewer joked, “You know you’re on the wrong side of history if the Boss is writing a song against you.”
He helps this country remember to ALWAYS use your voice to keep the elected representatives in check. After we are the people in We the People! Bruce conveys the meaning of our voices 💪
— Red haired lass ☘️ Charlie Kirk was No Saint (@Smapsley) January 28, 2026
In the aftermath of the song’s popularity, Donald Trump and his administration have taken a major hit in the public approval. Consequently, forcing Abigail Jackson, the White House spokesperson, to respond to the protest song. As per Variety, the official dismissed the song, saying, “random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information.”
She issued the reputed media house a statement, claiming that Donald Trump’s administration focuses on “removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens.” They work cooperatively and encourage “state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers.” Jackson took aim at the Democrats, who are working to provide “sanctuary for these criminal illegals.”
Bruce Springsteen did not back down from Abigail Jackson’s comments and decided to release a lyric version of Streets of Minneapolis. The musician mentioned that he had written the song on Saturday and recorded it on Tuesday. Thus, commemorating the sentiments of the immigrants and the memories of Good and Pretti.
