President Trump Calls Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show a ‘Slap in the Face’ to America

Donald Trump has weighed in on Bad Bunny‘s Super Bowl Halftime Show, publicly criticizing the performance in a social media post following Sunday’s (Feb. 8) broadcast.

The president shared his reaction to the halftime set on Truth Social shortly after Benito exited the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., writing that the show fronted by the Puerto Rican superstar was “absolutely terrible.”

“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,” Trump wrote in the post after Bad Bunny’s performance aired to a global audience during Super Bowl LX.

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying,” Trump continued (although the more than 44.8 million people in the United States who speak Spanish, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, would probably beg to differ). “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!”

Trump added, “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.”

Billboard has reached out to Bad Bunny for comment. The musician has not yet publicly responded to the president as of press time.

The halftime show, which marked one of the most culturally specific productions in Super Bowl history, leaned heavily into Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican heritage, blending reggaeton, Latin trap and Caribbean rhythms with large-scale choreography. The set also included a surprise appearance from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, as well as cameos from names such as Cardi B, with the moment drawing widespread attention across social media platforms.

Bad Bunny — born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — is one of the most commercially successful artists of the past decade. He has topped the Billboard charts repeatedly, with multiple No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, including Un Verano Sin Ti and Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana. His music has helped push Spanish-language releases into the mainstream of U.S. pop and hip-hop consumption.

Trump’s remarks arrive amid heightened political attention around the halftime show, which sparked debate among conservative commentators online. Some right-wing groups criticized the NFL’s continued efforts to spotlight Latin artists, while others questioned Bad Bunny’s role as a cultural ambassador despite his U.S. citizenship. (Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory.)

The NFL has increasingly leaned into global and multicultural programming for its halftime performances in recent years, reflecting the league’s stated goal of expanding its international reach. Apple Music has served as the official sponsor of the halftime show since 2023, with performers selected in partnership with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.

Despite the president’s criticism, early audience reaction to the performance was largely positive, with clips from the show trending across TikTok, X and Instagram throughout the night.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.