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Written by James Viator, A freelance writer

Back in September of 2016, it looked like U2 was going to announce itself as a powerful voice of opposition to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Granted, this would be a fair expectation for anyone who knows the inclusive and generally liberal views of Bono and the band. But at the iHeart Radio Festival, U2 made a bold statement, blasting Trump with the simple question, "what do you have to lose?" accompanied by some video content. Clearly referring to the possibility of a Trump win, Bono declared the answer to that question to be "everything."

It's worth putting this performance in context. The concert was on the eve of the first presidential debate, when Hillary Clinton had a lead and many expected it to widen as she got the opportunity to expose Trump's policy ignorance face-to-face. For the most part, over the course of the next month and three debates, Clinton would do just that - and her lead in the polling did indeed increase. By late October, about a month after U2's performance, many were predicting a landslide, and even notoriously cautious bookmakers declared it a done deal that Clinton would win the White House. This is why, when Trump won in early November, there was genuine shock throughout the United States and the world.

Now, this is not at all to suggest that U2 contributed to that widening gap in the polls, but merely to suggest the band was riding a wave. September of 2016 was not a time for anti-Trump people to make desperate arguments or chew their fingernails nervously. It was a time to drive home the last surge of enthusiasm in a contentious campaign that looked as if it was finally going to turn out okay. It felt the same as watching Clinton dominate the third debate, or seeing her appear alongside LeBron James in Ohio.

The U2 frontman also warned President Trump's budget cuts will put progress at risk, meaning "needless infections and lives lost."

by Colin Stutz, Billboard

Since George W. Bush's presidency, Bono and the former head of state have developed somewhat of an unlikely friendship over their shared mission to fight the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and save the lives in Africa.

On Friday, the U2 frontman shared a photo with Bush taken at the former president's ranch in Crawford, Texas, applauding his righteous work and warning against the current president's proposed budget. In turn, Bush returned the praise with some kind words of his own.

"I don't see a body of water wide enough, or a wall high enough, to keep these problems from our doors," singer says at Munich Security Conferenc

By Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone

Bono argued that investments in development and education in third-world countries, and not border walls and executive orders, could prevent extremism during the U2 singer's speech at the Munich Security Conference Friday.

"I don't see a body of water wide enough, or a wall high enough, to keep these problems from our doors," Bono warned.

"The frontier of national interest is no longer the national border. You may not be interested in the trouble on a far-off street or across the Mediterranean on the other side of the globe, but let me assure you, that trouble is interested in you. Our fate is a shared fate. But which fate will it be?"

Post-US election, the band are taking time to reconsider their already completed new LP, which they might alter in light of the result

by Mazin Sidahmed, The Guardian

U2 has decided to delay their upcoming album after the surprise victory of Donald Trump, band members said in an interview, as they plan to reconsider certain songs in the wake of a Trump presidency.

Speaking with Rolling Stone, guitarist the Edge said that the band was placing the album's release on hold and taking some "breathing space" to consider what they wanted to say following Trump's ascension to the White House.

"We just went, 'Hold on a second - we've got to give ourselves a moment to think about this record and about how it relates to what's going on in the world,'" the guitarist said.

Bono blasts Republican nominee for trying to "run off with the American dream"

By Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone

U2 mocked Donald Trump and his proposed border wall before performing "Bullet the Blue Sky" at a concert in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The new bit called "Liberty..." found Bono condescending to clips of the Republican nominee touting his vast wealth and plans to build a great wall on the Mexican border. "Now candidate, you understand it's not just Mexican people who are going to have a problem with this wall of yours," Bono said. "It's everyone who loves the idea of America."

Bono spins Republican's gloomy rhetoric into optimistic message at Las Vegas concert

By Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone

Days after Bono labeled Donald Trump as "potentially the worst idea that ever happened to America," U2 spun the Republican nominee's gloomy rhetoric into an optimistic message during their performance of "Desire" Friday at the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas.

Juxtaposing footage of a Trump's pandering plea to black voters with Las Vegas' dice-rolling reputation, Bono asked the crowd, "Are you ready to gamble your car?" before sampling the Trump sound bite "What do you have to lose?" The singer then asks the crowd "Are you ready to gamble the American Dream," which was followed by video of Trump's assertion that "the American Dream is dead."

"The American Dream is alive," Bono then shouted to the crowd before returning to "Desire."

"We remember that peace is not just the absence of violence. Peace is love organized," Bono says from the Vegas stage. "So get out and vote, whoever you're voting for."

By Katie Atkinson, Billboard

When U2 hit the stage as the final act of the iHeartRadio Music Festival on Friday night, they kicked right into the 1988 Rattle and Hum single "Desire" -- perfectly fitting the show's Las Vegas venue with its themes of bright lights and big money. And sure enough, Sin City imagery like showgirls, slot machines and poker tables flashed above the legendary Irish rockers to drive the point home.

But as the song continued, and its lyrical message became clearer, another theme emerged: the American presidential election and rocky cultural climate -- a theme also addressed by fellow iHeartRadio Fest performer Drake earlier in the evening.

"She's the dollars, she's my protection/ Yeah, she's the promise in the year of election," Bono sang, as the imagery suddenly shifted to a massive American flag. Then Donald Trump appeared onscreen timed with the lyrics "Like a preacher stealin' hearts at a travellin' show/ For love or money, money, money, money, money, money..." as fake dollars rained over the T-Mobile Arena crowd and Bono repeated the M-word seemingly 100 times.

The international donor conference hopes to raise $13 billion (U.S.) to replenish the Global Fund for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

By The Canadian Press

MONTREAL--Canada is a leader when it comes to collaborating on global issues, rock star Bono said Saturday during his keynote address at a Montreal conference to fundraise for AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

"It's just great to see Canada leading on this," he said. "You've always been ahead of the curve in realizing we can do more if the international community works together and subsuming your ego into the grand plan."

Bono was joined onstage by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on the second and final day of an international donor conference that hoped to raise US$13 billion to replenish the Global Fund for the fight against the three major infectious diseases.

by Billboard/Associated Press

U2 frontman Bono brought his star power to Capitol Hill Tuesday as he called on members of Congress to take swift action to deal with the global refugee crisis and violent extremism.

In testimony before a Senate subcommittee, Bono drew a bleak picture as he described the flood of people fleeing their homes in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The human torrent threatens the very idea of European unity, he said, as he urged lawmakers to think of foreign aid as national security instead of charity.

"When aid is structured properly, with a focus on fighting poverty and improving governance, it could just be the best bulwark we have against the extremism of our age," Bono said.

ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

By Katie Kindelan, ABC News

U2 frontman Bono is using his spotlight to shine a light on the plight of refugees, calling the refugee crisis a "global problem."

"We now know that what goes on in the Middle East or North Africa this year will spill onto the streets of Paris or Brussels next year and, God forbid, onto the streets of America," Bono said today on "Good Morning America," referring to the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris.

"We cannot separate ourselves from what's going on in the outside world anymore. It's our world. That's what comes with globalization," he said. "With global impact, we've got responsibilities."

The 55-year-old rocker spoke to "GMA" from the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, home to approximately 80,000 refugees, mostly from Syria.