Participating in NFL halftime events was a tad daunting for the Puerto Rican star. Despite being a prodigy in the pop world, he repeatedly received backlash, with MAGA critics announcing an alternative show. But a fan came to his defense in his X post.
”Bad Bunny hasn’t had major scandals of any sort; he has no arrest record; he’s never made news for being intoxicated or under the influence; he hasn’t had public fights with other celebrities or newsmakers, nor is he known for provocative social media posts or proclamations. He’s not given to making polarizing statements or offering political opinions, save for those directly related to his homeland of Puerto Rico, where he lives full-time .”
”Bad Bunny hasn’t had major scandals of any sort; he has no arrest record; he’s never made news for being intoxicated or under the influence; he hasn’t had public fights with other celebrities or newsmakers, nor is he known for provocative social media posts or proclamations.…
— Save America from the GOP (@rojawi) October 16, 2025
The comment was made on a post by Trump Daily asking if fans would watch Turning Point USA’s rival halftime show.
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Slot Sparks Uproar
Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Prop Bets Explode After Controversial Selection
Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Prop Bets Explode After Controversial Selection (Screenshot Via-ibb.co.com)
The NFL’s announcement of Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer has caused a long-standing uproar. Mostly from MAGA leaders, who think he is an “anti-ICE activist.” A viral petition to bring country star George Strait had 35,000 signatures, while organizations like Turning Point USA organized an alternative MAGA-themed show. Even President Trump expressed dissatisfaction at the choice, calling him absolutely ridiculous. Even though the 3-time Grammy star has impressive status as the world’s top-streamed artist for three of the last five years.
Yet, as Billboard executive editor Leila Cobo shed light in her October 8 op-ed, the stir masks deep-rooted biases against Spanish, not just politics. Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican U.S. citizen with no scandals or arrests, rarely dives into U.S. issues beyond mere concerns about deportations. In a September i-D interview, he explained not coming in the latest U.S. tours because of fears of ICE presence at the venues, adding it stemmed from caution, not hatred—he’s sold out American shows before.
Cobo spotlight anti-Spanish prejudice: Spoken by 45 million U.S. natives and fueling 8.1% of music streams (per Luminate), Spanish thrives globally, yet accents draw suspicion. Past Latin performers like Shakira and J.Lo blended English hits; Bad Bunny stays true to reggaeton in his native tongue, a streaming-era norm. Drawing from personal slights—like losing a DJ job over her accent—Cobo calls his slot a bold cultural win.
On Saturday Night Live, Bad Bunny celebrated it as shared progress:
“I’m very happy… it’s an accomplishment of all of us, demonstrating that our mark and our input in this country cannot be thrown out or erased.”
Recent claims amplify the point of hypocrisy. Trump hosted Italian singer Andrea Bocelli in the Oval Office without backlash, despite his non-English lyrics.
The Trump Daily community page gets different reactions:
Onefan said, “Zerochance I will watch the NFL halftime show! 🇺🇸MAGA”
While another chimes, “I’ll be watching BAD BUNNY. He was funny on the wing-eating show HOT ONES. I hope Karol G makes an appearance; it’s going to be an ENERGETIC show. Reggaeton is good!”
Anotherstated: “I’m watching the real Super Bowl.”
Whileothers want to attend the NFL halftime show: “TheNFL halftime show, of course.”
Onesaid, “Yes 🇺🇸🤍🇺🇸 Turning Point all the way!”
This collision points to the changing U.S. tastes, in which the emergence of Latin music threatens the traditional standards. The set of Bad Bunny would be able to bring millions of individuals together, as entertainment has no boundaries.