Bono: Freedoms are ‘going in reverse’

The loss of freedoms is keeping Bono up at night, with the U2 frontman saying that rights in the United States are “going in reverse.”

“Who’d have thought that the word ‘freedom’ would be upon trial? It’s a really interesting moment,” the “Elevation” singer said in an interview with the United Kingdom’s Channel 4 News released Thursday.

“All of our adult life, the world was getting more free. Since we were born, basically,” Bono said when asked about politics and what worries him.

“And for the first time, it’s going in reverse,” the 63-year-old Irish-born performer said while promoting the rock band’s Las Vegas residency, “Sphere.”

“We always thought sexual politics were improving, gender politics, race, really everything like that. So we’re definitely at some kind of existential crisis there too,” said Bono, who was born Paul Hewson.

“Democracy is having an existential crisis,” bandmate The Edge, who was born David Evans, added.

“I mean, it’s very hard to imagine arguments against authoritarianism — both at home and abroad — when this substantial group of people, particularly in America, who are actually second-guessing the principles of inclusion and freedom,” Bono’s bandmate said.

“But America is still the best idea. It just is the best idea,” Bono said.

“It just hasn’t happened yet. I’m attracted to freedom. I think it’s important that we demonstrate to the world what freedom looks like, and freedom acts,” the politically active musician and humanitarian said.

“So I’ll bet on freedom. And I bet that America comes back from this rather low ebb it is at presently,” Bono said.

Asked if the United States will “get lower” if former President Trump wins the 2024 White House race, Bono replied with a laugh, “We don’t use the ‘T’ word.”

“He has enough headlines, that man,” Bono said.

Bono, a frequent visitor to Capitol Hill who attended President Biden’s State of the Union address earlier this year, has criticized Trump in the past, calling him the “worst idea that ever happened to America.”

“I think he’s hijacked the party, and he’s trying to hijack the idea of America,” Bono said in a 2016 interview, before then-GOP presidential nominee Trump won the election.