Bad Bunny Selection Controversy
On September 28th, 2025, the National Football League (NFL) announced that three-time Grammy award-winning artist Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) would headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. Bad Bunny, a 31-year-old Puerto Rican musician who rose to prominence in the 2010s, is credited with helping bring reggaeton, a musical genre originating in Puerto Rico, to a global audience.
Many voiced their support for the decision in 2025. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that Bad Bunny was “one of the greatest artists in the world,” and California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X, “California is excited to welcome you to Super Bowl LX.” Others, however, voiced their disapproval. Five days after the announcement, Department of Homeland Security adviser Corey Lewandowski said, “It’s so shameful that they’ve decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime game.” President Trump also criticized the choice, saying it was “absolutely ridiculous.” These clashing comments foreshadowed the controversy that would follow the performance.
Notably, the Super Bowl is not new to moments of controversy during its halftime show. As one of the largest platforms in America, the platform has, over the years, given various performers a moment on the national stage to highlight a variety of causes. In 2020, singer Jennifer Lopez’s Super Bowl performance featured a ‘children in cages’ staging routine that critiqued U.S. immigration policy. In 2016, Beyoncé’s performance of “Formation” was seen as a celebration of Black pride and identity.
What Happened at Halftime?
In response to the backlash, Turning Point USA, a conservative campus advocacy organization, announced that the organization would be hosting “The All-American Halftime Show” as an alternative to Bad Bunny’s performance. Kid Rock, another popular artist and Grammy winner, was later announced as the show’s headliner.
The day of the Super Bowl, both Bad Bunny and Kid Rock performed as scheduled. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance featured a compilation of his greatest hits, set against a backdrop of Puerto Rican scenery, including sugarcane fields, brightly colored shops, and a diverse ensemble of dancers. His performance also featured surprise performances from artists Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The show ended with a parade of Latin American flags alongside the American and Canadian flags, and a message inscribed on a football that read: “Together we are America.”
The Turning Point USA halftime show also featured the American flag, with Kid Rock and fellow performers Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett performing against a backdrop of various American flag-inspired designs. The “All-American Halftime Show” ended with a tribute to the organization’s late founder, Charlie Kirk.
In total, the Turning Point USA halftime show received around 6.1 million viewers across platforms, while 128.2 million viewers tuned in to watch Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, cementing Bad Bunny’s performance as the fourth most-watched halftime show in U.S. history.
How Did Viewers React?
Following Bad Bunny’s performance, reactions of both praise and disapproval flooded in. Many prominent conservatives voiced disagreement about Bad Bunny’s performance. President Trump shared his thoughts via Truth Social, stating, “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” Other Prominent conservatives took issue with the performance’s content. In a post on X, Representative Andy Olges of Tennessee described the performance as “explicit”, stating, “…These flagrant, indecent acts are illegal to be displayed on public airways.” Other Republicans, however, such as media personality Meghan McCain, expressed a different perspective, stating, “Everything in life doesn’t have to be ruined by politics.”
Several prominent cultural figures weighed in on the debate. Tom Brady, a retired professional football player widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, called the halftime show “Amazing.” Speaking on a podcast, President Obama stated, of the performance “It resonated. It was smart. Because it wasn’t preaching. It was showing. It was demonstrating and displaying. This is what a community is.”
What Does This Mean for Future Halftime Shows?
While the Super Bowl has seen controversy before, past alternative halftime shows —such as simultaneous airings of other sports events—have been less about politics and more about siphoning viewers and revenue. With Turning Point USA planning another rival show for next year, the halftime stage is unlikely to become less polarized anytime soon. What is more certain, however, is that Bad Bunny’s performance highlighted cultural issues at the core of the partisan divide in America, from immigration to American identity. Through messages like “Together we are America” and his display of both U.S. and Latin American flags, Bad Bunny ignited debate across the political spectrum in just 10 minutes–a fact that, love him or hate him, is a marker of this moment’s intense political partisanship.