Featured Image Credit: NBC
Topics: Bad Bunny, Super Bowl, NFL, Celebrity
Phoebe Tonks
As Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance came to a close, the Grammy award-winning singer shared a subtle message to fans with a message emblazoned on the football he was holding.
The Puerto Rican native made history on Sunday evening (February 8), as the first performer to sing entirely in his mother tongue Spanish for the full set - a move which divided audiences, especially as no subtitles were provided to translate what he was singing.
Yet while the language divide may have been present, there was no denying the majesty of his performance, which took viewers on a journey through a dazzling and colourful celebration of Latin American culture.
It even featured a handful of famous faces, including Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and Pedro Pascal who all brought their own A-list charm to the proceedings.
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Yet at a time when the US seems to be more divided than ever, it was Bad Bunny’s message to audiences watching his performance that urged people to band together and show unity rather than division, as it read the words: "Together we are America."
The message came just days after the star had slammed Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids which had been targeting communities all across America during his Grammys acceptance speech.
While accepting the award for Best Música Urbana Album, Bad Bunny said last week: "ICE out. We're not savage, we're not animals, we're not aliens — we are humans, and we are Americans."
Following Bad Bunny’s performance, it appeared many weren’t keen to take his message of unity to heart, including President Donald Trump who publicly slammed the show altogether.
Trump, who had declined to attend in person citing distance concerns, took to Truth Social shortly after the halftime show concluded to share his thoughts - and he didn’t hold back.
"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," he wrote. "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."
Trump continued: "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."
Yet despite Trump's criticism of the show, there were plenty of fans who did appreciate Bad Bunny's set, with many saying that the language barrier wasn't a problem at all, as the performance itself was infectiously addictive to watch.
"I couldn't understand a word, but I loved every minute," said one fan.
A second agreed adding: "Idk what bro is saying but ayeeeee It's Lit!!"
Someone else commented: "So proud. Thank you @sanbenito. Siempre representando con orgullo y amor. Positivismo para el mundo."
Bad Bunny has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and his policies over the years, particularly regarding immigration and his native Puerto Rico. Let’s take a look at where it all began…
In 2017, the federal government faced backlash for its slow and disorganised response to the aftermath of the storm, which caused widespread destruction, power outages and thousands of deaths.
During a benefit concert, Bad Bunny donned a T-shirt reading ‘¿Eres Twittero o Presidente?’ which translates to ‘Are You a Tweeter or President?’
Seven years later, he released the track ‘Una Velita’, which appeared to hit out at the Trump administration’s handling of the disaster.
The translated lyrics say: “They let 5,000 people die / And we will never forget that.”
During the run-up to the 2024 US election, Bad Bunny showed his support for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
The musician posted a clip of the vice president’s plans for Puerto Rico not long after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe referred to the territory as a ‘floating island of garbage’ at a Trump rally.
A Trump campaign spokesperson later said: “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
In the music video for ‘NUEVAYoL’, released on the Fourth of July last year, Bad Bunny appeared to take a not-so-subtle swipe at the US president.
Following a shot of a Puerto Rican flag draped on the Statue of Liberty, a voice that sounds suspiciously similar to Trump can be heard saying: “I made a mistake. I want to apologise to the immigrants in America. I mean the United States – I know America is the whole continent.
“I want to say that this country is nothing without the immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans…”
Bad Bunny opted to leave mainland US out of his world tour due to concerns over ICE following immigration crackdowns amid Trump’s return to office.
“There were many reasons why I didn't show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate,” he told I-D magazine in September. “But there was the issue of – like, [expletive] ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it's something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Moments before the Super Bowl announcement, Bad Bunny tweeted in Spanish that after ‘thinking these last few days, I think I'll do one date in the United States’.
In a statement, he said his performance would be for ‘my people, my culture, and our history’.
Despite excitement from fans and the NFL calling the decision ‘carefully thought through’, the move sparked backlash from critics unhappy about a Spanish-speaking artist headlining the biggest American sporting event of the year.
Seemingly forgetting that Puerto Rico is in fact a US territory, one conservative commentator labelled Bad Bunny ‘anti-American’ while petitions to replace him were created, and Turning Point USA, the right-wing organisation founded by the late Charlie Kirk, even announced it would be hosting a rival halftime show.
Trump also weighed in on the global music icon performing at the Super Bowl, telling Newsmax's Greg Kelly: “I’ve never heard of him.
“I don’t know who he is… I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment — I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
During his SNL opening monologue in October, Bad Bunny jokingly addressed conservative backlash over his upcoming halftime show.
“You might not know this, but I’m doing the Super Bowl halftime show and I’m very happy,” he said. “I think everyone is happy about it - even Fox News.”
After delivering a heartfelt message in Spanish, he switched back to English and told viewers ‘if you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn’.
In January, the POTUS confirmed that he would not be attending the Super Bowl while slamming the performers.
“I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible,” he told the New York Post of Bad Bunny and Green Day - another longtime critic of his.
However, Trump insisted this was not the reason for his absence, adding that ‘it’s just too far away’.
Bad Bunny made history at the 2026 Grammys by becoming the first artist to win Album of the Year for a Spanish-language release.
He also picked up two other awards and used his time on stage to share a message of hope amid nationwide protests against the actions of ICE.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say ‘ICE OUT’. We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens, we’re Americans,” the rapper said, before adding: “The only thing that's more powerful than hate is love.”