Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, in Pittsburgh, joins Springsteen to denounce Trump
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder doubled-down in support of freedom of speech and joined fellow music legend Bruce Springsteen’s denouncement of President Donald Trump’s policies.
And he did it during Sunday’s show at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh before the band launched into its version of Neil Young’s First Amendment anthem “Rockin’ in the Free World.” Pearl Jam also played a Friday show at the arena.
Vedder, 60, is a pioneer of Seattle’s grunge craze who’s taken on Ticketmaster and later formed a friendship with Young. Wearing a gray Pirates jersey at Sunday’s performance, he showed he can still rock after three decades.
He also knows how to respect his elders.
“When Bruce uses his mic to speak for those who don’t have a voice,” he deserves to be listened to, Vedder said.
The Boss wasn’t just waxing against the man once called The Donald by the New York City tabloids.
“He brought up issues,” Vedder said.
Among them:
• Deporting people without due process.
• Abandoning longtime U.S. allies.
• Supporting dictators.
“That … is happening,” Vedder said.
The administration is also cutting funding and threatening colleges as it aims to curb what it has termed as “woke” policies. These are places like the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon, Vedder told the crowd.
He knows the city and has called Pittsburgh’s Clemente Museum one of his five favorite places in the world.
Springsteen’s critique of Trump struck a chord with supporters of the president and conservative performers like Kid Rock, who told Fox News that among heartland rockers, he prefers Bob Seger.
Trump belittled Springsteen on social media.
Vedder said Springsteen is “pro-American” and called out Trump for dodging the issues Springsteen mentioned.
Bruce Springsteen is washed! pic.twitter.com/Igt2Nd6t0I
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 16, 2025
“All that we heard were personal attacks and threats,” Vedder said. “Part of free speech is open discussion, part of democracy is healthy public discourse. The name-calling is so beneath us.”
Related:
• Springsteen, Trump, Kid Rock trade political barbs
• Eddie Vedder has special connection to Pittsburgh's Clemente Museum. Here's why.
• Pearl Jam shows off impressive versatility in sold-out Pittsburgh concert
Tom Davidson is a TribLive news editor. He has been a journalist in Western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. He can be reached at tdavidson@triblive.com.
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