Bad Bunny Super Bowl performance backlash, explained

Updated Jan. 23, 2026, 5:12 p.m. ET

The Super Bowl is fast approaching, and with it, increased scrutiny over the choice of halftime performer.

This year, Latin superstar Bad Bunny will take the stage, treating attendees and the millions of viewers watching couch-side to a medley of his Spanish-language hits. On the heels of a world tour and a record-breaking residency in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny is, for some, an obvious selection. He was, after all, Spotify’s most listened to artist globally (for the fourth time in five years).

Among others, however, the choice sparked outrage. A select group of Fox News commentators, conservative pundits and the president of the United States himself critiqued the NFL’s decision, citing Bad Bunny’s previous anti-Trump statements.

Bad Bunny has been critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, choosing not to add U.S.-based stops to his most recent tour for fear the Trump administration would target them for ICE raids.

Trump takes aim at Bad Bunny Super Bowl performance

Following the announcement that Bad Bunny would headline the show, President Trump told NewsMax’s Greg Kelly in October that he had “never heard” of the artist. Kelly alleged that Bad Bunny “hates ICE” and “accuses everything he doesn’t like of racism.”

“I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it, it’s, like, crazy,” Trump replied. “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.” That same month, Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced it would host its own alternative halftime show. The move followed news that a Change.org petition calling to replace Bad Bunny with George Strait as the Super Bowl halftime show headliner received over 66,000 signatures.

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson has also been critical, saying: “I didn’t even know who Bad Bunny was. But it sounds like a terrible decision… he’s not someone who appeals to a broader audience.”

The crux of conservative criticism of Bad Bunny seems to be rooted in the idea that his music − sung and rapped almost exclusively in Spanish − and his critique of Trump, make him out of step with American football, long a symbol of patriotism. The singer does, however, hail from Puerto Rico, part of the U.S. And the Super Bowl halftime show, or NFL fields for that matter, are no strangers to political statements and protest.

Bad Bunny’s fans push back against criticism

While some have sounded the alarm on his performance, a large swath of fans have signaled their support.

“I hope Bad Bunny don’t speak a lick of English during his super bowl performance,” one user wrote on X. “I want my bigot tears to be extra salty the next morning,” while another wrote: “Can’t wait for the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show and for all the morons to lose their minds.”

All the way at the top, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has also doubled down on the decision.

“I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism,” Goodell said in October, according to The Associated Press. “It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.

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