NEWSBruce Springsteen Boosts Tour Security After Surge of Death Threats
Bruce Springsteen is performing with heightened security during his tour.
May 22 2026, Published 8:24 a.m. ET
Bruce Springsteen is turning up the volume on stage, and behind the scenes, security is doing the same.
As his “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour moves through its final U.S. stops, the rock legend and the E Street Band have been forced to increase security following a rise in death threats tied to the tour’s overt political message.
A Tour That’s Getting Tense
Stevie Van Zandt revealed rising death threats tied to the political tour.
The 76-year-old rocker has never shied away from speaking his mind, but this tour has hit a different nerve.
“This tour has been a little bit different because of the high security,” guitarist Stevie Van Zandt told the Daily Mail.
“It's a very specific political theme to this tour and there's been a lot of threats, death threats,” Van Zandt added. “Usually there's always some, but this time it's been increasing.”
The shows, which Springsteen framed early on as politically driven, have drawn backlash as he continues to take aim at President Donald Trump and broader political issues.
Security Gets Serious
Authorities are closely monitoring security concerns.
“The FBI and others have been really watching things and been overly concerned about it, as they should be,” Van Zandt said. “We want the fans to be safe and feel safe. So we really go the extra mile with extra security for that reason alone.”
Even for a band used to massive crowds and decades of touring, the shift has been noticeable.
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Politics Front and Center
Bruce Springsteen continues delivering anti-Trump messages from the stage.
Springsteen made it clear from the outset that this wouldn’t be a nostalgia run.
“The tour is going to be political and very topical about what’s going on in the country,” he told the Minnesota Star Tribune in March. Earlier this year, he released the protest song “Streets of Minneapolis” in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were killed by federal authorities in separate incidents as residents protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city.
The song, and Springsteen’s ongoing activism, sparked renewed clashes with Trump, who has publicly fired back at the singer in recent months.
Onstage, Springsteen has remained unapologetic.
“I don’t worry about it,” he told the outlet of potential backlash. “The blowback is just part of it. I’m ready for all that.”
The Show Goes On
The tour pushes forward despite the threats.
Despite the threats and added security, the performances themselves haven’t slowed down.
Springsteen has long viewed his role as an artist as tied to cultural commentary, and even as tensions rise, he appears determined to keep that stance intact.
With just a handful of stops left before the tour wraps in Philadelphia on May 30, the Boss is still playing loud.
