John McEnroe’s ex-wife Tatum O’Neal recently showed her appreciation for Bruce Springsteen’s blatant criticism of how things are in the United States of America under the Donald Trump-led administration. Springsteen voiced his stinging criticism of Trump’s second term as US President so far during a recent show in Manchester in the United Kingdom, which took place on Wednesday, May 14.
The 75-year-old American icon of rock music, ahead of performing his song “My City of Ruins” in Manchester, criticized Trump and the Republicans at large of stifling free speech, crushing dissent and several other issues that concern the US both nationally as well as globally.
“There’s some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now. In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now,” Springsteen said.
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"In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. They’re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society. They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands," he added.
The 20-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter wasn't done just yet. He went on to refer to Donald Trump as "unfit" for the role of US President, and also called his administration "rogue".
"They are removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centres and prisons. This is all happening now. A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government. They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American," Springsteen went on.
Tatum O'Neal, the American actress who was married to tennis legend John McEnroe from 1986 to 1994, took to social media platform Threads to react to Springsteen's critique of the Trump administration. O'Neal started by briefly revisiting her first meeting with Springsteen, where her ex-husband McEnroe was also present. She then lauded the singer-songwriter for the points he raised during his speech targeting the US President.
"I got to meet him with my ex-husband. It was just brilliant thank you so much. We are in a terrible crisis with the oligarchy the rich versus only the rich and don’t care about anybody else Elon Musk JD Vance, Peter Teel, Pete Heck it’s a horse show that went in right now. We have to keep fighting. Thank you so much. What a beautiful beautiful beautiful thing this is so thank you. 🙏🏻 🗣️📢‼️," O'Neal wrote on Threads.
In 2017, John McEnroe himself spoke up about his relationship with Donald Trump, and how it was perceived to be by many after the pair's meeting at the 2015 US Open.
"I went over to say hello to Donald Trump against my wife and daughter's advice" - John McEnroe on US Open 2015 meeting with current American President
John McEnroe went out of his way to shake hands with Donald Trump at the 2015 US Open. Two years later, the former No. 1 and seven-time singles Grand Slam champion recalled the interaction in a candid interview. McEnroe also touched on how the media perceived his meeting with Trump and clarified that the pair weren't as close as the media made them out to be.
"Donald has a box at the U.S. Open, right next to the broadcasters' booth. At the 2015 tournament I went over to say hello, against the advice of my wife and daughter: 'Don't you dare go over there. He's a misogynist and a blowhard—it could hurt your reputation.' Sure enough, it was caught on TV, me hugging Donald like we were long-lost brothers," John McEnroe said.
"He did seem more pleased to see me than usual, and I only realised why when he said, 'John, thank you so much for the letter. I've got it on the wall in my office!' I hoped this was fake news. I didn't want everyone who went into Trump's office thinking I was his No. 1 fan," he added.
Interestingly, way back in 2000, John McEnroe had received a $1 million offer from Donald Trump to play against either Venus or Serena Williams. However, the players didn't show any particular interest. Trump would eventually go on to play a brief session of tennis with Serena Williams in 2015 to inaugurate a tennis center at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.
