As expected, Bad Bunny became the target of Trump’s criticism.Image: keystone
Latin star Bad Bunny delivers a feel-good show with only subtle political references at the Super Bowl halftime performance. Donald Trump nevertheless reacted angrily.
02/09/2026, 05:31Feb 9, 2026, 9:15 a.m
Christoph Cöln / t-online
Latin superstar Bad Bunny turned the Super Bowl halftime break into a giant dance party. The 31-year-old from Puerto Rico placed political messages discreetly. He focused on conveying positive feelings such as harmony, solidarity or unity in his show. During the final of the North American football league NFL between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots in Santa Clara, California, he had flag bearers appear who, in addition to the USA flag, also presented those of many other countries on the double continent of America.
Bad Bunny also held a football with the inscription “Together we are America” in the camera, said “God bless America” and listed numerous Latin American countries in addition to the USA. In the background the words glowed on a screen:
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Not unexpectedly, the US President had little use for Bad Bunny’s message. The artist regularly criticizes the policies of the current US government, particularly the controversial deportations by the ICE authorities. Trump immediately described the show as “absolutely terrible” on his Truth Social platform. In general, the show does not do justice to the “greatness of America,” wrote the Republican.
“No one understands a word this guy is saying and the dances are disgusting, especially to little children watching all over the US and around the world. This “show” is simply a “slap in the face” to our country, which sets new standards and records every day,” said the US President.
A whole cast with a migrant background
Bad Bunny had put together one of the most elaborate halftime shows in football history that delivered powerful visuals. He brought a star cast onto the stage. Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin were part of the show. Among others, the actor Pedro Pascal, Cardi B and Jessica Alba were also seen in cameo appearances. Boxers Emiliano Vargas and Xander Zayas also appeared.
In addition, extras with a Hispanic migrant background were almost exclusively seen. Field workers cutting corn or sugar cane, menial jobs ranging from hairdressers to snack bar operators to small general stores were depicted.
Trump saw this as an “insult to the greatness of America.” “There’s nothing inspiring about this chaotic halftime show and it’s going to get great reviews from the fake news media because they have no idea what’s going on in the REAL WORLD,” he said at Truth Social.
Bad Bunny: “For my people, for my culture”
Bad Bunny sang exclusively in Spanish – a first for the traditional halftime show. Unlike last time, Trump didn’t come to the Super Bowl and had already insulted Bad Bunny before the finale.
The artist, whose music combines reggaeton with Afro-Caribbean and Puerto Rican music styles, had previously emphasized that his performance was “for my people, my culture and our history.” Among other things, he sang one of the most political songs on his current album: “Lo que paso con Hawaii” (What happened to Hawaii). In it he criticizes the cultural takeover of the Hawaiian island chain by the USA, which came under the rule of the United States in 1898 – at the same time as Puerto Rico.
The appearance at the Super Bowl is considered the biggest show stage of the year. With more than 100 million viewers in the USA alone, the halftime shows are often just as popular as the actual game and have long since become a cultural phenomenon in their own right.
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