Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Gig Sparks MAGA Outrage, Branded “Too Political” and “Woke” — But ICE Raids at Ballparks Are Fine
The NFL’s announcement that Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show has not only been met with excitement from fans, but also with predictable outrage from MAGA commentators who see the decision as a political statement.
“This Is for My People, My Culture, and Our History,” Says Bad Bunny Following the Announcement
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican superstar, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been officially announced as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LX, set to take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026.
For Bad Bunny, the show represents something bigger than music. “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history,” he said after the announcement.
Jay-Z, who oversees the NFL’s music entertainment through Roc Nation, echoed a similar sentiment: “What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
The Puerto Rican superstar has long used his platform to call out Trump-era immigration policies, particularly ICE’s brutal crackdown on Latino communities. He even excluded the U.S. from his upcoming world tour, saying he feared his fans could be targeted in immigration raids.
Predictable MAGA Outrage over Bad Bunny: Turning a Halftime Show Into a Culture War
Predictably, conservative voices lashed out. DEI critic Robby Starbuck claimed the NFL had “decided to make the Super Bowl political” and accused Bad Bunny of planning to push “woke propaganda.”
“This is not a pick designed to unite football fans or let people just enjoy the show. It was a pick designed to divide fans and no doubt Bad Bunny will find some way to push a woke message,” Starbuck wrote on X (still referred by most people as Twitter).
Roger Goodell and the @NFL just decided to make the Super Bowl political by picking Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl music act.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 29, 2025
The guy literally says he isn’t touring the US because of Trump’s ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump.
Also, most of his songs… pic.twitter.com/s2KYRzev4b
Meanwhile, conservative radio host Dan O’Donnell accused him of hypocrisy for skipping U.S. tour dates but accepting the Super Bowl slot, “Bad Bunny said two weeks ago he won’t perform in the US because he’s scared ICE agents would deport his fans,” O’Donnell wrote. “Turns out his business sense far outweighs his moral convictions.”
This is Bad Bunny.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 29, 2025
He was just announced as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.
– Massive Trump hater
– Anti-ICE activist
– No songs in English
He even canceled his entire U.S. tour for this reason: “F***ing ICE could be outside my concert. And it’s something that we were… pic.twitter.com/11KvuSWnEH
There’s also conservative political commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson who has declared that the NFL is “self-destructing year after year.”
The MAGA backlash to Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime show is steeped in hypocrisy. Conservative commentators are quick to brand the Puerto Rican superstar’s performance as “too political” and “woke,” yet remain silent when ICE agents turn sporting venues into sites of intimidation.
Not long ago, reports surfaced of ICE attempting to enter Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, a place that should be about community, family, and America’s pastime, not federal agents targeting Latino fans. The fact that MAGA can cry foul over a halftime performance celebrating Puerto Rican culture while excusing or even endorsing ICE’s presence at ballparks reveals the selective outrage at play.
The MAGA hypocrisy and patriotism is an utterly confusing thing to think about. What defines that something is too political? What is woke? Do these patriots not know that Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican, which makes him an American?
While MAGA sees the halftime show as an attack on Trump, many see it for what it is: a powerful symbol of resistance, representation, and pride.
Fellow artists Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, and Shakira also celebrated the announcement, framing it as a victory for Latino culture on one of the world’s biggest stages.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL… pic.twitter.com/Br1MkpoWxx
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) September 29, 2025
Lopez shared a photo of the two together on Instagram with the caption, “Bori ganggg,” nodding to their shared Puerto Rican heritage. Shakira echoed the sentiment, writing, “Welcome back to the Super Bowl stage! Aquí va mi gente latina [Here comes my Latino people]!!” while Bruno Mars quoted Bad Bunny’s own words about representing his people and culture, adding his own encouragement: “Go get ’em, Bad Bunny!”