SANTA CLARA, Calif. — President Donald Trump has criticised the NFL’s selection for the Super Bowl LX halftime show, deriding a performance by Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny as “one of the worst ever.” The President’s remarks on Sunday night inserted a jagged political edge into an evening that saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots 29‒13 to win their second championship.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, became the first artist ever to headline a Super Bowl halftime performance singing exclusively in Spanish. His high-energy performance at Levi’s Stadium included reggaeton beats and unexpected turns from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. But within minutes of the performance ending, President Trump had logged on to social media to criticise it. Is the Super Bowl halftime show getting too political for viewers in America?
A Clash of “American Values”
The show was derided not just by anyone, but as a “slap in the face to our country” by none other than President Trump. “No one can understand what this guy is saying, and the chairman of the board is grossed out by the dancing,” the President wrote on Truth Social. He said the performance didn’t rise to “standards of success, creativity or excellence” and did not reflect the “greatness of America.”
There’s nothing new to the tension between the President and the artist. Image Bad Bunny has been an outspoken critic of the administration’s immigration policies and recently took home “Album of the Year” at the Grammys for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. The singer also included a statement about unity in his performance, holding up a football inscribed with the phrase, “Together, we are America,” that supporters saw as an appeal to inclusion and critics took as a political taunt.
The “All-American” Alternative
As Bad Bunny played to a TV audience anticipated to top 100 million people, a conservative organisation called Turning Point USA had another option. The organisation broadcast its own “All-American Halftime Show” online, luring about 6 million simultaneous viewers on YouTube.
The alternative concert featured:
• Kid Rock: The headliner, known for his support of the President.
• Country Stars: Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett perform.
• National Themes: The show was billed as a “family-friendly” production centred on traditional values.
The alternative broadcast was heavily promoted by some members of the president’s inner circle, and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth appeared in a video for the stream to thank the organisation for its “courage and leadership.”
Football Results and Cultural Impact
If the music got the headlines, the game provided a defensive masterclass by the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle, which was quarterbacked by Sam Darnold, held the Patriots scoreless for the first three quarters. The victory kept Bill Belichick and the Patriots from winning a record seventh Super Bowl championship, but for the Seahawks, it was all about “redemption,” 12 years after their memorable loss to that same opponent.
As the dust has settled on Super Bowl LX you’ve still got people talking about whether or not they should have even had a halftime show? For many, Bad Bunny’s performance was a defining moment for Latino representation in the United States. For others, it was further evidence of an accelerating cultural estrangement that not even the “biggest game of the year” can bridge.
Key Highlights
- President Trump described Bad Bunny’s set as an “insult to the greatness of America.”
- Bad Bunny was the first artist to offer an entire Super Bowl performance in Spanish.
- A rival “All-American” show featuring Kid Rock attracted 6.1 million online viewers.
- The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX by defeating the Patriots 29–13.
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