On September 28, 2025, it was announced that reggaeton artist Bad Bunny will be Super Bowl LX’s halftime show performer. This quickly sparked into a mix of excitement and anger as many viewers found out about the Puerto Rican superstar and Latino advocate who exclusively sings in Spanish.
Benito Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, has been on the rise for years. However, his newest album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (DTMF) skyrocketed his global popularity. Several of his songs address controversial issues related to Puerto Rico’s connection to the United States. Because of this, he has received a significant amount of both praise and criticism from Americans. As a Puerto Rican activist, he has become a representation of Latino culture and pride. He values the Spanish language and often chooses not to speak English to protect his cultural identity.
On January 13th 2025, Ocasio revealed a 30-day summer residency in Puerto Rico. The purpose of this residency was to show Puerto Rico’s rich culture while also helping its economy. On May 5th, he announced his world tour. However, he did not schedule any performances in the United States, except for in his home, Puerto Rico. This has caused many to wonder if Bad Bunny’s choice to bypass the U.S. was based on the current president, Donald Trump.
Ocasio is aware of the comments Trump has made towards Latino immigrants in the U.S. and he strongly opposes them. He also criticized Trump in the music video, NuEvAYoL, for targeting Latinos by increasing the budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in his Big Beautiful Bill, a federal law in the U.S. that was passed in 2025. The bill mainly focuses on significant tax reductions, makes some tax rules from 2017 permanent, and changes how the government spends on social programs.
In a recent interview with I-D Magazine, Susy Exposito wondered if Ocasio’s choice to skip touring in the U.S. was due to worries about mass deportations that Latinos are currently facing in the U.S.
“Man, honestly, yes…like, f***ing ICE could be outside (my concert),” Ocasio replied.
Not long after this interview, Apple Music revealed that Bad Bunny will be headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show. Given that football is the most popular sport in the U.S. and 49.8% of Americans supported Trump in the 2024 election, many Super Bowl viewers lean conservative. It’s clear that America is politically split right now. Almost half of Americans voted for the Democratic nominee in the 2024 election, making it the second-closest popular vote difference since 1968, as reported by NPR.
The NFL’s choice to have Bad Bunny headline the Super Bowl seems to be a political statement, much like Kendrick Lamar’s performance last year. Lamar’s act highlighted the racial injustices faced by Black Americans in the U.S. while also critiquing President Trump’s leadership.
In addition to being the first solo Spanish artist to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, Bad Bunny’s performance will be significant due to the current political divide. A number of Democratic Americans are rallying behind Bad Bunny as a way to push back against President Trump.
On the other hand, many Republicans view Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance as an insult to American culture because of his political opinions about Trump and his commitment to speaking only in Spanish. Bad Bunny’s pride in his Puerto Rican heritage and his strong political views against Trump have led many Americans to wonder what message he will present during his upcoming performance.
