Opinion: Even Trump couldn't resist watching Bad Bunny's powerful halftime show
Bad Bunny's halftime show was so powerful that it even forced Donald Trump to watch it – or at least it was his preferred choice over Kid Rock's alternative MAGA show.
Bad Bunny's halftime show in Santa Clara last night was a real showstopper that will be etched in the collective memory of pop culture.
Halftime shows have always been a spectacle, and more often than not, the bar for the performing artist was raised by the previous one.
When it comes to performance, metrics are pretty much the main concern in pop culture these days. How many people tuned in? What message was delivered, if any? How jaw-dropplingly big and expensive was the performance compared to other artists who had the chance of performing?
Following his rather political acceptance speech at the Grammys for best musicá urbana album, in which he opened with 'ICE out', there was a strong sense of anticipation surrounding the show.
As a proud Puerto Rican, the 31-year-old made sure to include plenty of references to his home and culture, and to lacking support from the US government in the past. Puerto Rico is a self-governing US territory.
At one point, dancers climbed electricity pylons, which could be interpreted as the damaged infrastructure the 2017 storm left behind. At the time, the first Trump administration received criticism from the Puerto Rican community, who alleged that it had failed to provide the same federal support for hurricanes that had occurred on the mainland.
Last night's performance was a 14-minute spectacle filled with dance, music, messages and celebrity friends of his joining the performance.
Lady Gaga joined him for a salsa version of 'Die With A Smile' and Ricky Martin also had a quick moment in his show.
He ended his performance by saying, 'God bless America,' and listing countries in the Americas. Behind him was a huge billboard displaying the words 'The only thing more powerful than hate is love'. At the end, he held up a football bearing the slogan, 'Together, we are America'.
Although no direct reference was made to Donald Trump and his administration, these messages could be interpreted as a rallying cry condemning the way the US administration targets and treats immigrants and US citizens with Latin American roots.
This halftime show broke records
According to Apple's press release, the Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show press conference with Bad Bunny received more than 63 million views, including the live stream and social clips, becoming the most watched in Super Bowl history within the first 48 hours.
What's more, unverified claims are circulating on X and Instagram that Bad Bunny's performance was the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. It's worth pointing out that, at the time of publication, no official data had been confirmed.
Last year, 133.5 million people tuned in to watch Kendrick Lamar's performance.
MAGA is sour
The President's absence was noticeable. While he had previously enjoyed support among sports enthusiasts, it became clear that even this demographic has now had enough.
During the match between Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Brody King on AEW Dynamite, the Las Vegas crowd chanted "Fuck ICE" to express their opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices.
Clearly, MAGA has lost cultural momentum. The movement that was set to take over everyday American life is waning amid scandal, sleaze and corruption. They are simply un-American.
Trump's approval rating has dropped to a historic low of -18. This in itself is quite an achievement.
So, what does an unwelcome President do? He makes excuses and stays at home.
'It’s just too far away. I would. I’ve [gotten] great hands [at] the Super Bowl. They like me,' he told the New York Post, after declaring that he was 'anti-them' with regard to Bad Bunny and Green Day, who were performing at the opening ceremony.
Surprisingly, he didn't watch Kid Rock's rather cringeworthy performance, which was organised and live-streamed by Turning Point USA under the banner of the 'All-American' halftime show.
Even the most delusional MAGA die-hard would struggle to pretend that Kid Rock is a good musician. It's a relief that they have a bit of variety these days, with Nicky Minaj's addition to the small MAGA music library they can enjoy.
Footage from inside Trump’s golf club Super Bowl party reveals the Bad Bunny half time show played on the big screens. What a bunch of hypocrites.
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes.bsky.social) 9 February 2026 at 04:17
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The President obviously watched the real thing in order to complain about it afterwards, which he has done in typical Trump fashion on Truth Social.
Trump posted:
The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! 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! There is 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! President DONALD J. TRUMP
"Nobody understands a word this guy is saying." Well, Donald, you might be surprised to learn that around 44.9 million people, or one in seven people aged five and over, speak Spanish.
Many people understood. Even if one couldn't understand Spanish, the messages were loud and clear for everyone to see.
This was a halftime show that people will remember for a long time.
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