Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny is set to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. But the announcement sparked backlash and a counterperformance led by Turning Point USA.
The conservative group says it will produce its own “All American Halftime Show,” with more details to come. The announcement followed a wave of online reaction — some celebratory, others critical.
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How the backlash started
While backlash began almost immediately, the idea of a new halftime show began when political activist Jack Posobiec posted on X, “Sure would be a shame if @TPUSA hosted a counter-Superbowl halftime show with Creed.”
Since then, artists like Cory Asbury have weighed in, with some even proposing a faith-based halftime show.
“Every year, everyone is all up in arms about the performer for the halftime show. I get it,” said Asbury. “However, nine times out of ten, it’s raunchy as heck. You’re seeing stuff you don’t wanna see. You’re hearing stuff you don’t want to hear. Especially for your kids.”
Who is Bad Bunny?
Bad Bunny was born in Puerto Rico — and because the island is a U.S. territory, he is an American citizen. Still, some commentators have questioned his inclusion in an event often viewed as a showcase for American culture.
The singer recently completed a 31-show residency in Puerto Rico, adding $400 million to the local economy. He also performed on the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live,” where he acknowledged his Super Bowl halftime performance.
“I’m very excited to be doing the Super Bowl and I know people around the world who love my music are also happy, especially all Latinos,” he said.
Speaking some of his monologue in Spanish, he joked, “And if you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”
The singer is also preparing for a world tour — one that excludes U.S. cities.
No US stops on his tour
In September, Bad Bunny cited concerns about the possible presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement near venues as one of the reasons for skipping American dates.
“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times. All of [the shows] have been successful,” he told i-D. “But there was the issue of — like, f—king ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he said.
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Bad Bunny is one of 11 Latin artists to perform at the Super Bowl, and the first male Latin artist to headline.
That concern was validated by Department of Homeland Security adviser Corey Lewandowski, who recently appeared on Benny Johnson’s “The Benny Show.”
“There is nowhere that you can provide a safe haven to people in this country illegally,” he said. “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you, we will apprehend you, we will put you in a detention facility and we will deport you.”
Many have pointed to the irony of Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl but not touring in the U.S. Others argue it’s a form of protest or personal safety choice.
Conservative pushback grows
Political commentator Tomi Lahren said Bad Bunny isn’t American, a claim many fact-checked.
On her show, she asked political commentator Krystal Ball if Bad Bunny was a good choice for the halftime show.
“I’m not that knowledgeable about him, but it seems fine and I don’t know why it’s a big deal,” Ball said. “He seems like a great American artist, so sure.”
“He’s not an American artist, but —” Lahren replied.
“He’s Puerto Rican. That’s part of America, dear,” Ball responded.
Lahren wasn’t the only one to speak out.
Reporter Pablo Manríquez asked House Speaker Mike Johnson Tuesday his thoughts on the show.
“I didn’t even know who Bad Bunny was, but it sounds like a terrible decision,” he said. “It sounds like he’s not someone who appeals to a broader audience and I think there’s so many eyes on the Super Bowl. A lot of young impressionable children and I think, in my view, you would have Lee Greenwood — role models doing that. Not somebody like this.”
President Trump responds
On the show “Greg Kelly Reports,” Newsmax host Greg Kelly and President Donald Trump also weighed in.
“The Bad Bunny Rabbit or whatever his name is,” Kelly said.
“I never heard of him, don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy,” Trump said. “And then they blame it on some promoter that they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem criticized the NFL directly in an interview on “The Benny Show.”
“Well, they suck, and we’ll win and God will bless us, and we’ll stand and be proud of ourselves at the end of the day, and they won’t be able to sleep at night because they don’t know what they believe, and they’re so weak, we’ll fix it,” Noem said.
Meanwhile, Turning Point USA launched a survey on its website asking what kind of music people want at their show. Options include country, hip hop, worship — and a category labeled “anything in English.”
How Super Bowl performers are chosen
Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation, has produced the official halftime show since 2019.
In partnership with the NFL, Roc Nation curates the artist, creative direction and production of each year’s performance.
The selection process aims to appeal to a wide range of audiences — often through artists with broad reach. Bad Bunny is one of the most-streamed artists in the world, with more than 100 billion Spotify streams.
He has also won three Grammy Awards, 12 Latin Grammys and was named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year in 2022.
