U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, calling the Puerto Rican rapper’s set “absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!”
In a post on Truth Social after Bad Bunny’s performance, Trump wrote, “It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence.”
“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World. This ‘Show’ is just a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day — including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History,” he continued.
Trump said there was “nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show and watch, it will get great reviews from the Fake News Media, because they haven’t got a clue of what is going on in the REAL WORLD.”
“And, by the way, the NFL should immediately replace its ridiculous new Kickoff Rule. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” he concluded his post.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has faced a wave of backlash since he was announced as the Super Bowl performer last year.
But that didn’t stop the Grammy-winning artist, who brought Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and a whole lot of his native Puerto Rico to his halftime show.
The 31-year-old began the performance in the furrows of faux sugar cane crops, walking past unmistakable Puerto Rican imagery, including farmers in straw hats, old men playing dominos and a shaved ice stand, as he performed his 2022 reggaeton hit Tití Me Preguntó. He carried a football and wore an all-white football jersey with the number 64 and his real last name emblazoned on the back.
He also brought out a list of celebrities as he sang Yo Perreo Sola on top of La Casita — a pink and yellow house with a porch, a nod to the homes in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The porch was part of the stage of Bad Bunny’s sold-out 30-day residency in Puerto Rico and he brought it to the Super Bowl to extend his hospitality to stars like Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, Karol G, Jessica Alba, Alix Earle and more.
The scene then shifted to a wedding, where a couple actually got married during the show, according to a representative for Bad Bunny, who said he served as a witness and signed their marriage certificate.
The unnamed husband and wife had invited Bad Bunny to their wedding, but he said they should be part of his halftime show instead.
“God bless America!” he shouted toward the end of his 13-minute halftime show. Then he gave a roll call of the nations of North, South and Central America, including Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, the United States and Canada.
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A parade of flags from those nations marched through the sugar plantation fields that functioned as the show’s centrepiece.
After the list of nations, and at the end of the show, he declared, “Mi patria Puerto Rico, seguimos aquí,” or “My homeland Puerto Rico, we are still here.”
The halftime show came a week after Bad Bunny won the Grammy for album of the year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, making history as the first Spanish-language album to win the album of the year category.
His halftime show included a young boy watching the Grammy telecast on TV with his parents. Bad Bunny appeared and handed the boy a Grammy statuette.
As Bad Bunny’s show ended, he held up the football to the camera. It had a message that was also on the scoreboard: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
In the meantime, Turning Point USA (TPUSA), founded by late right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, hosted its own “All-American Halftime Show” headlined by Kid Rock and country singers Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett.
The show, promoted as “celebrating faith, family and freedom,” was supposed to be livestreamed on Sunday on TPUSA’s various social media accounts at the same time as Bad Bunny’s NFL Super Bowl halftime show. But due to licensing restrictions, it was unable to stream the event on X and directed fans to its YouTube channel.
The show began with a message in support of the late Kirk. “This one is for you, Charlie,” a spokesperson said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a video appearance before the concert.
“From the War Department, we salute Turning Point USA and everyone who believes freedom is still worth the fight,” Hegseth said in the video. “Thank you for your courage as an organization, your clarity and leadership, and for this halftime show the war department is proud to support.”
TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet previously said the halftime show was “an opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family and freedom.”
Kid Rock, an ally of Trump, said they were approaching their halftime show “like David and Goliath.”
The All Summer Long singer continued: “Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible … or is it?”
“He’s said he’s having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America,” Kid Rock said of Bad Bunny.
— With files from The Associated Press
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