After months of ongoing criticism against President Donald Trump and his administration, Bruce Springsteen has offered prayers for the commander in chief and condemned political violence following the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner shooting on Saturday.
“We begin tonight with a prayer for our men and women in service overseas, we pray for their safe return,” Springsteen told the crowd during the E Street Band’s show at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday night, per videos circulating online. “We also send out a prayer of thanks that our president, nor anyone in the administration, nor anyone attending, was injured at last night’s incident at the [White House] press correspondents’ dinner.”
“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,” he added.
A representative for Springsteen did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Chaos broke out at the event Saturday night when suspected gunman Cole Allen reportedly stormed a security checkpoint and opened fire at the WHCA Dinner.
President Trump was immediately rushed from the ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Video from inside the event showed attendees taking cover under tables as panic spread through the room.
Trump hailed law enforcement during his press conference from the White House late on Saturday, saying the situation was “incredibly acted upon by Secret Service and law enforcement.”
“[The suspect] had a long way to go. That was really a first line of defense. And they got him. And they really, you know, they acted incredibly,” he continued.
The suspected gunman, identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen, of California, was taken into custody. Authorities are continuing to investigate a motive for the shooting and build a case ahead of an expected arraignment on Monday.
Springsteen, who kicked off his “Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour” in March, has been vocal about his disdain for Trump and his administration over the years. The tour follows the release of his latest song, “Streets of Minneapolis,” a protest tune that criticizes Trump and his administration’s deployment of thousands of federal agents to crack down on illegal immigration in Minnesota.
Throughout his recent shows, the rock legend has described the administration as “corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless and treasonous” and has dubbed Trump as a “president who can’t handle the truth.”
During his recent show in Newark, New Jersey, Springsteen called on his audience to join in “choosing hope over fear, democracy over authoritarianism, the rule of law over lawlessness, ethics over unbridled corruption, resistance over complacency, truth over lies, unity over division and peace over war.”
Fox News Digital’s Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.
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