The Super Bowl halftime show draws more attention than most playoff games combined. More than 120 million people watch it every year, making it the biggest stage in American entertainment. Political figures usually stay out of NFL show business, but the 2026 halftime performance has turned into a culture war.
Lee Greenwood Backs Mike Johnson’s Push to Replace Bad Bunny at 2026 Super Bowl (Screenshot Via X/@gunnar\_ror)
House Speaker Mike Johnson wants Lee Greenwood replacing Bad Bunny, and the 82-year-old country legend just said he’s ready to take the call.
**Lee Greenwood Backs Mike Johnson’s Push to Replace Bad Bunny at 2026 Super Bowl**
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Speaker Johnson didn’t hold back when reporters asked about the NFL’s decision to book Bad Bunny for Super Bowl LX. The Louisiana Republican told the press he’d never heard of the Puerto Rican superstar and called the booking “a terrible decision.”
Johnson [suggested booking Greenwood](https://nypost.com/2025/10/09/entertainment/lee-greenwood-speaks-out-about-replacing-bad-bunny-for-super-bowl-halftime-show/) instead, arguing that the league needed “role models” performing for impressionable children watching the year’s biggest game.
Greenwood wasted zero time responding. “I agree with Speaker Johnson. I would make a great performer for any Super Bowl show,” the Grammy winner said in a statement Thursday.
The “God Bless The U.S.A.” singer pointed to his annual NFL performances during Salute to Service games and announced he’ll perform halftime for the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football on November 3.
President Donald Trump piled on the criticism earlier this week. “I never heard of him,” Trump said on Newsmax, questioning why the NFL selected someone he described as not being “a unifying entertainer.”
The president appointed Greenwood to the Kennedy Center board in February, just weeks after the singer performed at Trump’s inauguration in January.
Bad Bunny fired back last weekend during his “Saturday Night Live” hosting gig. The most-streamed artist in the world mocked non-Spanish speakers during his monologue, telling them they had four months to learn the language before his performance.
**Bad Bunny’s ICE Comments Fuel the Political Backlash**
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The halftime show controversy runs deeper than musical taste. Bad Bunny previously told i-D magazine he refused to bring his tour to the United States because he feared ICE agents would be stationed outside his concerts.
The 31-year-old artist expressed concern about federal immigration enforcement targeting his fans.
Trump administration officials responded swiftly. They clarified that ICE agents would be present at the February 8, 2026 game regardless of the performer’s preferences.
The message was clear: federal law enforcement doesn’t adjust operations based on celebrity complaints.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, defended his Super Bowl booking by saying the moment “goes beyond myself.”
He dedicated the performance to those who paved the way for his success, calling it a celebration of his people, culture, and history.
Johnson’s comments about appealing to a “broader audience” cut to the heart of the debate. Bad Bunny ranks among the most-streamed artists globally, but his primarily Spanish-language catalog divides American audiences.
Greenwood’s “God Bless The U.S.A.” has soundtracked patriotic moments for decades, but it represents a completely different vision for the NFL’s biggest stage.
The league hasn’t responded to the political pressure. Super Bowl LX kicks off in 16 weeks, and the culture clash over who deserves the halftime spotlight shows no signs of cooling down.