ASBURY PARK, N.J. – Elon Musk didn’t hold back on Bruce Springsteen on X this week after the aging rocker criticized cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) during his “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour.
Reading from a teleprompter, Springsteen claimed that “the richest men in America” had abandoned poor children by dismantling USAID programs, arguing that people are dying as a result. Although he did not mention Musk by name, Musk previously oversaw major USAID budget cuts as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In response, Musk called Springsteen an “America-hating idiot and billionaire hypocrite” in reply to a post criticizing the singer’s comments. Later, Musk mocked Springsteen’s use of teleprompters during concerts, writing, “I wonder who wrote it for him. He’s just a puppet.”
Springsteen has repeatedly criticized Musk’s USAID cuts during his current and previous tours.
Springsteen is (ironically) an America-hating idiot and billionaire hypocrite
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 25, 2026
I wonder who wrote it for him. He’s just a puppet.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 25, 2026
