Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show splits Americans as the NFL show is lauded as a multicultural success while others including President Trump decried the show and performance as a disgrace as millions switched instead to watch Turning Points America half time show instead.
The NFL polarized fans with its decision to choose the Puerto Rican rapper, Bad Bunny, 31, and his Spanish-only songs for Sunday’s big game in San Francisco, with many voting opting to turn off NBC during the halfway show and seek out and load up YouTube and Rumble instead.
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show on February 8, 2026, drew widespread criticism, particularly from conservative figures like President Donald Trump, who called it one of the ‘worst ever and a ‘slap in the face of our country’.
‘It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World,’ Trump wrote.
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love”
Bad Bunny closed his performance with every counties flag united together ❤️#SuperBowl
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) February 9, 2026
Despite mostly positive reviews praising the ‘all Spanish language performance’s cultural swagger and historic representation of Puerto Rican music’, viewer backlash alluded to deeper divides over language, politics, and Latino visibility in mainstream America.
Cultural Backlash
The performance faced pre-event controversy for being in Spanish and Bad Bunny’s anti-Trump, pro-immigrant stances, with right-wing critics decrying it as un-American. Trump and others amplified this post-show, fueling MAGA outrage and calls for alternatives like country artists, including Turning Points America hosting its own ‘all American’ halftime show.
The show according to organizes promised a show celebrating, American ‘values, faith, and freedom.’
Performers who played for the Turning Points show included, outspoken ‘MAGA’ supporters including, Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett also performing.
During the alternative show’s ‘streaming’ on YouTube, viewership peaked at over 5 million viewers midway through the show.
LET THE ALL-AMERICAN HALFTIME SHOW BEGIN pic.twitter.com/p5DylFny3M
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) February 9, 2026
Political Ramifications
Bad Bunny’s set ended with unity messages like “Together, We Are America” amid anti-Latino sentiments, positioning it as resistance to rising conservatism. The NFL defended the ‘carefully thought through’ show amid petitions and threats, underscoring tensions in entertainment under the Trump administration. It boosted Bad Bunny’s global icon status while exposing NFL’s revenue-driven risks.
Reception Divide
Critics hailed Bad Bunny’s half time show as triumphant and revolutionary, blending hits with guests like Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. While many praised the Puerto Rican performer’s co-star roster, audiences like most things in America, were left divided, with some praising the move as inclusive while others blasted it as un-American.
Kid Rock: "If the NFL really were all about its stated goals and really wanted to take care of their fan base … there's a band that checks every single box from San Francisco, by the name of Metallica."pic.twitter.com/lsxRVDKybZ
— Joe Rogan Podcast News (@joeroganhq) February 6, 2026
Reddit reactions split: some called it legendary, others dull or exclusionary for non-Spanish speakers. Overall, the Bad Bunny Super Bowl show marked a milestone for Latin music on the massive Super Bowl stage while underpinning the ongoing political divide that continues to divide America.
Perhaps the most iconic moment of Bad Bunny’s performance was when the artist spoke to viewers at the stadium and at home, announcing a message that has been all American to every immigrant and survivor and maverick and upstart in America, today and present and past: ‘It’s because I never, never stopped believing in myself, and you too, you too (as he pointed to the screen) should believe in yourself.’
