By Zoe Papadakis | Tuesday, 28 April 2026 11:03 AM EDT
Bruce Springsteen called for a collective prayer of thanks for the safety of President Donald Trump following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. The 76-year-old musician paused his E Street Band concert in Austin on Sunday to address the violence that occurred the previous night.
In his remarks, Springsteen stated: “We begin tonight with a prayer for our men and women in service overseas, we pray for their safe return.” He also added: “We send out a prayer of thanks that our president, nor anyone in the administration, nor anyone attending, was injured at last night’s incident.”
Springsteen’s comments followed his history of describing the administration as “corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless and treasonous” and his previous endorsement of Kamala Harris, whom he labeled as supporting while calling Trump “the most dangerous candidate” of his lifetime.
The shooting occurred on Saturday, April 25, at the annual press gala. Secret Service agents evacuated President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as attendees sought cover under dining tables. Law enforcement later identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. Allen was arraigned Monday on federal gun charges and a charge of attempting to assassinate the president; he did not enter a plea.
During a recent interview, Trump stated: “I understand life. We live in a crazy world… You can really enhance your chances of having a perfect situation, but sometimes things will happen.”
This incident marks the third potential attempt on the president’s life in recent years, following a July 2024 shooting at a Pennsylvania rally and the discovery of an armed man near Trump’s Florida golf course two months prior.
In Austin, Springsteen emphasized that political conflict should never lead to physical harm: “We can disagree. We can be critical of those in power, and we can peacefully fight for our beliefs… But there is no place in any way, shape, or form for political violence of any kind in our beloved United States.”
Springsteen’s remarks come months after Trump described the singer as a “dried-up prune.”
