Springsteen Slams Trump For Shortchanging Freehold Business Owner

FREEHOLD, NJ — Bruce Springsteen has not held back in the past on his criticism of former President Donald Trump, and he probably won't in the future.

The rock star slammed Trump for shortchanging the owner of a local music store in Freehold decades ago during his SiriusXM radio show on Wednesday.

Springsteen said that, as a kid, he took guitar lessons at a local music shop in town owned by a man who sold instruments to one of Trump's businesses.

"Donald Trump is building one of his many casinos down in Atlantic City, orders a bunch of pianos from my friend Mr. Diehl, [and] of course refuses to pay for them," he said.

Springsteen was referring to the Freehold Music Center. In 1989, Trump bought eight pianos from its owner Michael Diehl for $100,000 for his Taj Mahal casino, according to the Asbury Park Press.

But Diehl never got the $100,000. During the 2016 campaign, he told the same publication that he waited for months for his payment to come and had to take out a loan to pay the manufacturer. He said eventually the casino gave him three choices: He could take 70 cents on the dollar, losing out on 30 percent of the payment they had agreed on, wait until the casino was profitable to get his money or force a bankruptcy process and get pennies on the dollar.

Springsteen never forgave Trump for making Diehl lose out on $30,000.

"That this bastard held out on this small-town music school owner and finally agreed to pay him something like six on the dollar was disgusting and it really hurt Mr. Diehl at the time," he said.

The music business was originally located on South Street and has since moved to Route 9 in Freehold, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Springsteen then dedicated the next song on his playlist, “MoneyGrabber,” to Trump.

"He is just a god damn money grabber," Springsteen said.

Last summer, the musician said on his radio show that he was "pissed off" about Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 100,000 Americans dying over the previous months, calling it a "national disgrace."

"I'm going to start out by sending one to the man sitting behind the resolute desk," Springsteen said last year. "With all respect, sir, show some consideration and care for your countrymen and your country. "Put on a f--king mask."

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