Trump erupts over Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show: ‘nobody understands a word this guy is saying’

US President Donald Trump slams Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show, calling the performance “absolutely terrible” and “disgusting” in a series of posts on social media following Sunday night’s game.

Bad Bunny headlined the halftime show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, delivering a performance rooted in reggaeton, Latin trap and Caribbean rhythms. The set, which was performed largely in Spanish, celebrated Puerto Rican culture through its music, staging and visuals, and included appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The show concluded with a message projected in the stadium that read, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

Trump reacted soon after the performance ended, posting on Truth Social that the halftime show was “one of the worst, EVER” and accusing it of failing to represent what he described as American values. He also took aim at the language of the performance, writing that “nobody understands a word this guy is saying,” and criticised the choreography, calling it inappropriate for younger viewers.

Bad Bunny performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
| Photo Credit:
AP

The comments were consistent with Trump’s earlier objections to Bad Bunny being selected as the Super Bowl headliner. In the months leading up to the game, Trump repeatedly questioned the NFL’s decision and suggested the artist did not represent “traditional American” culture. He ultimately skipped attending the game, despite having appeared at the previous year’s Super Bowl.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been outspoken in his criticism of Trump’s immigration policies. At the recent Grammy Awards, he used his Album of the Year-winning acceptance speech to condemn intensified immigration enforcement and voiced support for immigrant communities. The artist has also endorsed Democratic candidates in past elections, including publicly backing Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race.

The halftime performance itself drew a mixed but largely positive public response. According to polling data cited in AP, approval of Bad Bunny’s selection as headliner was strongest among younger viewers and Hispanic audiences, while opposition was more concentrated among conservative voters. The show featured multiple hit songs, cultural references such as sugarcane fields and traditional street vendors, and concluded with fireworks during the final number.

While Trump framed the performance as divisive, supporters of Bad Bunny described the halftime show as a rare moment of Latino representation on one of the largest stages in American popular culture. Scholars and commentators noted that performing entirely in Spanish during the Super Bowl was itself a significant cultural statement.

Neither the NFL nor Bad Bunny has formally responded to Trump’s remarks. The Super Bowl halftime show remains one of the most-watched television events in the world, drawing tens of millions of viewers annually.