Trump challenges Springsteen for 'Rio de Newjersio'

Donald Trump is busy campaigning, and of course, his rallies provide us with striking (and sometimes ridiculous) statements. In May 2024, as he was speaking in New Jersey, Trump took aim at Bruce Springsteen.

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While the former president was at a rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, one of his first interventions was a direct dart at the singer. "We have a much bigger crowd than Bruce Springsteen. Right?" he commented, according to USA Today.

Donald Trump estimated that 100,000 people were present at the event. For her part, Lisa Fagan, spokesperson for the city, in statements to The Associated Press, lowered the figure to a range between 80,000 and 100,000 people. The curious thing is that the municipal government also claims that the area only had a capacity of 40,000 people.

Roger Stone, the conservative political consultant who was arrested for obstruction of justice and witness tampering in 2019, and then pardoned by President Trump in 2020, joined the conversation. He tweeted a picture of a crowd on a beach with the words: "New Jersey is in play for Donald Trump. Could Joe Biden draw a crowd like this?"

Soon enough, users of X added context to Stone's remark and photo, asserting that this was, in fact, an image of a free concert by Rod Stewart in Rio de Janeiro in 1994. It's unclear whether Stone really thought he could get away with the 'fake' photo.

Of course, the tweet made for a good laugh in all political corners. Roger Stone responded to the commotion by stating that "Liberals have no sense of humor," suggesting his fake tweet was actually a joke, to avoid criticism.

Meanwhile, Trump's remark about Bruce Springsteen got fans of The Boss all riled up. They were quick to come out to defend their idol and deny the claim that Donald Trump would draw more people than Bruce Springsteen ever could.

Photo: mrbigg450 / X (Twitter)

But the numbers claim was nothing more than the warm-up in the battle between Trump and Springsteen. The former president had prepared another attack against The Boss. In this case, it involved the artist's vote in the presidential elections.

"These liberal singers, they actually vote for me. You know, like Bruce Springsteen," he said, laughing.

In reality, it is much more likely that Bruce Springsteen will vote for Joe Biden. He played at the inauguration concert for Biden in 2021.

In addition, The Boss told The Atlantic that he does not want Donald Trump back in the White House. "I don't know if our democracy could stand another four years of his custodianship."

In fact, Springsteen says, the rise of Trump and his politics "are all existential threats to our democracy and our American way of life."

As for Trump's rally in New Jersey, some seemed to have thought it was too much. During the 90-minute rally, media USA Today and The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, a large chunk of the audience left the venue, apparently tired of so much verbiage.

Even in the face of people leaving the area, Donald Trump had to make a comment on the contrary:  "I haven't noticed anybody leaving. Nobody's leaving. They never leave," he said.

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