Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show on February 8, 2026, ignited intense controversy as the Puerto Rican superstar, known for his outspoken criticism of former President Trump’s response to Hurricane Maria and his anti-ICE stance, took center stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
In a historic performance as the first Spanish-language Latin solo artist to headline the show, Bad Bunny delivered an entirely Spanish-language set celebrating Puerto Rican culture, opening with sugar cane fields and vignettes of island life featuring farmers in traditional pava hats, domino players, and boxers.
Bad Bunny kept the focus on cultural pride rather than overt politics, though he is known for his anti-Trump and anti-ICE rhetoric, including his recent “ICE OUT” comment at the Grammys.
President Trump quickly denounced the show on Truth Social as “one of the worst, EVER,” labeling it an “affront to the Greatness of America” and a “slap in the face.”
Turning Point USA launched counterprogramming with its “All-American Halftime Show,” a faith, family, and freedom event headlined by Kid Rock and featuring country artists Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.
The TPUSA alternative drew significant audiences, with estimates around 5-6 million views on YouTube alone, though still small compared to Bad Bunny’s performance, which shattered records with early figures exceeding 135 million viewers.
As one of the most dominant Latin artists globally, Bad Bunny has achieved massive streaming success, topping Spotify’s most-streamed artist list in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2025 with a staggering 19.8 billion streams in 2025 alone and consistently breaking records for Spanish-language music.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the selection, calling Bad Bunny “one of the greatest artists in the world” and stating that he understands the Super Bowl platform is meant to unite people through creativity and talent, even amid backlash over the artist’s political views.
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