Trump UNLEASHES on Bad Bunny’s Historic Super Bowl Halftime Performance

(RightwingJournal.com) – President Trump blasted Bad Bunny’s historic Super Bowl halftime performance as “an affront to the Greatness of America,” igniting a firestorm over whether the NFL’s first entirely Spanish-language show represents cultural progress or a troubling departure from American standards.

Story Snapshot

Trump called Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show “absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER” approximately 30 minutes after it concluded
Bad Bunny became the first male solo Latin artist and first performer to deliver an entire Super Bowl halftime set entirely in Spanish
The President criticized the language barrier and choreography, claiming “Nobody understands a word this guy is saying” and calling the dancing “disgusting”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the selection, emphasizing the platform’s purpose to unite people through creativity and talent
The performance drew an estimated 127 million viewers while promoting unity with messages stating “Together, we are America”

Trump’s Forceful Rebuke From Mar-a-Lago

President Trump unleashed a scathing critique of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance from his Mar-a-Lago resort, calling it a “slap in the face” to the country. The President’s Truth Social post attacked multiple aspects of the show, claiming it failed to represent American “standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence.” Trump specifically targeted the language barrier and choreography, arguing the performance was inappropriate for young viewers. He had previously announced he would not attend the game at California’s Levi’s Stadium, citing the halftime lineup as a primary reason for his absence.

Historic Performance Sparks Cultural Divide

Bad Bunny’s performance marked a watershed moment as the first Super Bowl halftime show performed entirely in Spanish by a male solo Latin artist. The Puerto Rican performer delivered a set that concluded with messages promoting unity, including a ball inscribed with “Together, we are America” and a big-screen display reading “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” The selection came against a backdrop of Bad Bunny’s documented political activism, including his 2018 criticism of Trump’s Hurricane Maria response and his recent Grammy Awards “ICE out” declaration that dominated headlines just weeks earlier.

NFL Stands Firm Amid Presidential Criticism

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the controversial selection, praising Bad Bunny as “one of the greatest artists in the world” who understood the platform’s purpose to unite rather than divide. The league’s decision reflected acknowledgment of the 13 percent of Americans who speak Spanish at home, representing the most common non-English language in the United States. Turning Point USA organized a competing “All-American” halftime show featuring Kid Rock that drew approximately four million views, a fraction of the Super Bowl’s typical 127 million halftime viewers. The stark viewership disparity underscores the NFL’s continued dominance despite organized conservative opposition.

Questions About American Identity Surface

The controversy crystallizes broader debates about what constitutes authentic American culture in an increasingly diverse nation. Trump’s criticism framed the Spanish-language performance as unrepresentative of American values, while defenders emphasized music’s universal language and the importance of representation for Latino communities facing increased scrutiny under immigration enforcement policies. Petra Rivera-Rideau, an Associate Professor at Wellesley College specializing in Latin music, noted the multilayered significance of featuring a Spanish-language artist on a platform that “functions like a national holiday” during a period when Spanish speakers face racial profiling and harassment.

Bad Bunny’s Political Track Record

Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has consistently used major platforms for political messaging throughout his career. His 2018 Tonight Show appearance highlighted Puerto Rico’s ongoing crisis following Hurricane Maria, directly challenging Trump’s response. He wore a T-shirt mourning a murdered transgender woman in 2020 to raise awareness about violence against the LGBTQ community. When launching his latest album tour, the artist deliberately chose a Puerto Rico residency while skipping the U.S. mainland, citing concerns that his fans would be targeted by federal agents. This pattern of advocacy made his Super Bowl platform selection particularly charged for both supporters and critics.

Community Reactions Reveal Deep Divides

Latino community members celebrated the representation as historic validation during challenging times. Yazmin Auli, a Philadelphia bakery owner, expressed widespread sentiment that “any Latino that goes and represents us in the Super Bowl, we’re good.” Content creator Mike Alfaro, whose Bad Bunny lyric translations went viral before the game, argued that the artist’s mere presence constituted the political message, emphasizing that music transcends language barriers. These perspectives contrast sharply with Trump’s nationalist criticism, highlighting fundamental disagreements about whether major American cultural events should prioritize English-language performances or embrace the nation’s linguistic diversity. The debate raises legitimate concerns about cultural cohesion versus representation in an era of heightened political polarization.