President Donald Trump didn’t mince words when he learned of the NFL going for Puerto Rican phenomenon Bad Bunny’s services for the 2026 Super Bowlhalftime concert. “Completely absurd,” it sounded when Trump opened up about it during a live TV interview, factual even acknowledging having never even heard of the man. Now, that off-the-cuff statement is having people discuss everything ranging from like/dislike for music to broader divisions about who deserves to bask amidst America’s greatest spotlight.
On September 28, 2025, the NFL broke the news Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico’s king of reggaeton, would relinquish halftime control of Super Bowl LX. It’s going to go down February 8, 2026, here at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Partnering with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Apple Music, the league’s looking to continue shuffling things up with artists who bring world punch.
A tweet from X.
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio better known as Bad Bunny’s birthplace is Vega Baja, a sleepy place on the island. He’s a young man of just 31, yet his cabinet of trophies is full several Grammys to date, and for three consecutive years, 2020 through 2022, he held Spotify’s number one artist position outright. Songs like “Dákiti” and that huge hit by him, Un Verano Sin Ti? They’ve garnered more than 107 billion listens on Spotify by themselves, figures that make him a household term for millions.
This gig breaks new ground too the first time a mainly Spanish-language act headlines solo. Think back to Usher’s electric set in 2024 or that powerhouse hip-hop lineup with Dr. Dre and Snoop in 2022. Bad Bunny fits right in, but with a fresh twist that crosses oceans.
Trump laid it all out in a phone call to Newsmax’s Greg Kelly Reports on October 6, 2025.
“The NFL just chose the bad bunny rabbit or whatever his name, this guy who hates ICE,”
He fired off, nodding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“He doesn’t like you. He accuses everything he doesn’t like of racism.”
He kept going
“I never heard of him. I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s like crazy and then they blame it on some promoter that they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Trump couldn’t resist linking it to his gripes about the league’s tweaks, slamming the new kickoff rule as “ridiculous” since
“the ball is kicked and the ball is floating in the air and everyone’s standing there watching it.”
And boycotts? He floated the idea.
“Do you think maybe we should just kind of entertain blowing off the NFL like a boycott or something along those lines?”
Trump mused.
“This guy does not seem like a unifying entertainer and a lot of folks don’t even know who he is.”
Trump’s words hit like a touchdown pass to his base. Adviser Corey Lewandowski jumped in, saying ICE agents might show up at the gamefor some on-site checks. Homeland Security’s Kristi Noem chimed in on security worries, while ex-racer Danica Patrick fretted that the language barrier and political vibes could split the crowd.
It’s no secret Bad Bunny’s tangled with Trump policies before. He nixed U.S. stops on his 2025-2026 tour over raid jitters and called out a rally comedian for Puerto Rico jabs. That history turns this dust-up into a bigger story about identity in sports think kneeling protests or past performer dust-ups.
The NFL’s no stranger to the heat, and with over 127 million viewers tuning in last year, these shows don’t just entertain they echo what’s bubbling in society.
For Latinx fans, Bad Bunny’s mic drop is huge a nod to bilingual voices in the heartland and beyond. His sets weave beats with bite on issues like equality, packing 40,000-strong crowds lately.
The Super Bowl’s gone worldwide, and Bad Bunny’s stats could supercharge Latin sounds, echoing Shakira and J.Lo’s 2020 blaze.
