Bad Bunny, the Latin pop star who is a massive critic of President Trump and ICE, opened the 51st season of Saturday Night Live with jokes about his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance, poking fun at the backlash over his selection as headliner.
“I think everybody is happy about it — even Fox News,” quipped the Puerto Rican singer.
He then switched his speech from English to Spanish, expressing Latino pride and joy over the achievement, after which he jested in English: “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn!”
Bad Bunny’s reveal as the Super Bowl halftime headliner comes amid political tension; he said he avoided touring the U.S. mainland over concerns that ICE might target illegal immigrants near his concerts.
After news broke of his Super Bowl headlining performance, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked by a podcaster on Friday whether ICE would be operating at the event. Noem confirmed they would, saying DHS is “responsible for keeping it safe,” though she did not clarify if agents would conduct immigration checks or standard security duties.
Bad Bunny’s monologue! pic.twitter.com/pjS0Ejckcg
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 5, 2025
Kicking off a season with new cast members, SNL opened with a sketch targeting the Trump administration. The first segment spoofed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks about overweight troops and generals, with Colin Jost portraying Hegseth in the cold open.
“No fatties, no facial hair, no body hair,” Jost’s Hegseth said. “Just hot, shredded hairless men who are definitely not gay. … “Because this is serious, we are facing the greatest threat to freedom and democracy the world has ever known. And we all know what that threat is.”
🔥 SNL OPENS ITS 51st SEASON OUT THE GATES WITH PROPAGANDA
They portray Sec of War Hegseth & President Trump at Quantico. Make fun of his hand, say he made have had a stroke and continue to prove PREDICTABLE AS ALWAYS. The show LOSES 100 million a year so one day we will… pic.twitter.com/meY6scPaox— Johnny St.Pete (@JohnMcCloy) October 5, 2025
