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The National Football League (NFL)’s decision to retain Bad Bunny as the performer for the Super Bowl LX halftime show has ignited significant backlash from MAGA supporters. Newsweek reached out to Bad Bunny’s representative via email for comment on Thursday outside regular working hours. Why It Matters Bad Bunny was first announced as the halftime show headliner in September, and the initial news generated widespread criticism from members of the MAGA movement, including sharp condemnation from President Donald Trump. The news came just weeks after the Puerto Rican singer said he chose not to tour mainland U.S. cities, citing concerns about the treatment of Latinos and immigration enforcement. What To Know On Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league would stick by its decision to feature Bad Bunny in the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, taking place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Defending the choice, Goodell said during a news conference: “The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny. It’s carefully thought through. I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.” He cited the importance of reflecting a global audience and commended Bad Bunny as “one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world.” Bad Bunny performs onstage during his “Most Wanted Tour” at the State Farm Arena on May 14, 2024, in Atlanta. Bad Bunny—whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—is a Grammy-winning artist who sings almost exclusively in Spanish. His selection led to a surge in his music streams, Billboard reported, and renewed attention of his criticism of Trump-era immigration policies and his advocacy for Latino communities. In an interview with i-D magazine last month, Bad Bunny shed light on why he doesn’t tour in the United States: “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. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the US,” he said. “But, specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the U.S.… People from the U.S. could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of—like, f****** ICE [United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement] could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.” As a way to protest Bad Bunny’s performance, Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a conservative organization founded by late political activist Charlie Kirk, has revealed it will be holding its own halftime show. “HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT,” Turning Point wrote on X on October 9. “It’s true, Turning Point USA is thrilled to announce The All American Halftime Show. Performers and event details coming soon. 2.8.2026.” What People Are Saying X user GuntherEagleman, whose bio states, “Political Commentator – America First – MAGA – Christian,” shared in a message on the platform with 2.1 million views and 34,000 likes: “BREAKING: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he is NOT reconsidering Bad Bunny as halftime performer for the Super Bowl. That’s perfectly all right to me, seeing as I will DEFINITELY watch TPUSA’s halftime show instead! Are you with me?” The Chad Prather Show host and comedian Chad Prather wrote in a note on X with 387,800 views and 21,000 likes: “Roger Goodell says he’s not reconsidering Bad Bunny as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LX. So, it’s about bringing in money and not about the fans? Got it. Can we just Bud Light the NFL already?” In 2023, Bud Light sparked boycott calls following its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The company’s sales took a hit, and Anheuser-Busch, the beer’s brewer, later said that several of its top executives had taken a leave of absence. TPUSA Live host Jon Root said on X in a comment with over 2,200 views and 41 likes: “NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said they won’t reconsider replacing Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl Halftime performer & went as far as saying his inclusion & performance will be a ‘unified moment’… Again, no one wants to watch a subtitled Super Bowl Halftime show, from a dude that dresses in drag, makes demonic music, & who stated he wouldn’t perform in the US anymore because of ICE deporting illegal immigrants. TPUSA’s All-American Halftime Show is gonna blow the Bad Bunny’s ratings out of the water.” It should be noted that Go...
