President Donald Trump condemned Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance on February 8, 2026, calling it “absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER” and a “slap in the face” to the country. His comments turned a Spanish-language, Puerto Rican-centered production into a political and cultural flashpoint.
What did Donald Trump say about Bad Bunny’s halftime show?
Trump posted his reaction immediately after Bad Bunny headlined the halftime show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. He wrote that the performance made no sense, was an affront to what he described as America’s greatness, and failed to meet his standards for success, creativity and excellence.
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His most widely reported description was: “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” Reuters and ABC News both reported that wording.
Trump also objected to the show’s Spanish-language lyrics and said viewers could not understand them. He criticized the dancing and questioned whether parts of the performance were suitable for children. Those statements describe Trump’s personal and political judgments, not an independently verified assessment of the show’s artistic quality.
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Was Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance in Spanish?
Yes. The performance was built around Spanish-language reggaeton and Puerto Rican identity. Bad Bunny drew heavily from songs on his 2025 album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, rather than presenting an English-language crossover set designed primarily for U.S. listeners.
That choice made language central to the dispute. Trump treated the use of Spanish as evidence that the show did not communicate to much of the American audience. Supporters viewed the language and cultural focus as the point of the performance: a global Super Bowl stage presenting Puerto Rican music and identity on their own terms.
What was the message of Bad Bunny’s halftime show?
The Associated Press described a production centered on Puerto Rican culture and unity. Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin appeared during the set, which combined reggaeton with visual references to Puerto Rico’s political and social experience.
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Puerto Rican identity and political context
The staging addressed Puerto Rico’s power outages and the continuing debate over the island’s sovereignty. Those references gave the show a political dimension beyond a conventional pop spectacle.
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The closing statement
The performance ended with the visual message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” That line framed the show as a statement about solidarity and resistance to hostility, contrasting directly with Trump’s description of it as an affront to the country.
Why was the NFL’s choice controversial?
The controversy reflected competing ideas about what a Super Bowl halftime show should represent. Critics focused on language, cultural symbolism, political references and the suitability of the dancing for a family audience. Supporters emphasized Bad Bunny’s international popularity and the significance of giving Puerto Rican culture the event’s largest entertainment platform.
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The NFL had defended the booking before the game. In an October 22, 2025 report, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the decision was “carefully thought through” and described Bad Bunny as one of the world’s leading and most popular entertainers. The league said it was not reconsidering the selection.
The central disagreement
| Perspective | Main emphasis |
|---|---|
| Trump’s criticism | English-language accessibility, cultural representation, dancing and what the show symbolized about America |
| Bad Bunny’s production | Spanish-language reggaeton, Puerto Rican identity, unity and opposition to hate |
| NFL’s rationale | Bad Bunny’s global popularity and the league’s deliberate entertainment choice |
Why did the reaction become a larger political story?
Halftime shows are watched by a mass audience, but they are also statements about whose music, language and identity receive the national spotlight. Bad Bunny’s set made Puerto Rican culture, Spanish and island politics visible during one of the United States’ biggest television events. Trump’s response challenged that presentation on political and cultural grounds rather than merely criticizing individual songs or production choices.
The result was a clash between three standards: artistic and audience response, expectations of English-language mainstream entertainment, and the NFL’s commercial calculation that a globally prominent artist could represent the scale of the Super Bowl.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When did Trump criticize Bad Bunny’s halftime show?
He posted his criticism immediately after the Super Bowl LX performance on February 8, 2026.
Who appeared with Bad Bunny during the show?
The Associated Press reported appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
Did the NFL defend Bad Bunny before the Super Bowl?
Yes. Commissioner Roger Goodell said on October 22, 2025, that the selection was “carefully thought through” and that the league was not reconsidering it.
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