Claire Herquet, Editor

When Bad Bunny stepped onto the Super Bowl LX halftime stage last weekend, he wasn’t just performing; he was entering the center of America’s culture. What should have been a celebration of music quickly became a public vote on identity, language and national belonging. The performance, delivered almost entirely in Spanish, ignited a political storm in the media that revealed far more about the country’s divisions than about the artist himself.

The selection of Bad Bunny (formally named Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) as the first solo Latin artist to headline a Super Bowl halftime show had already triggered polarized reactions. Media coverage leading up to the event stated that the choice ignited controversy and placed the Puerto Rican singer under fire even before he sang a note US President Donald J. Trump stated the selection was “absolutely ridiculous,” as asserted in the New York Times. In the week prior, many celebrities, including Bad Bunny, had taken public jabs at President Trump’s immigration policies, prompting speculation about whether or not the halftime show would carry political undertones.

Once the performance aired, the backlash was immediate. President Trump blasted the show as “one of the worst ever” according to Fox News, criticizing its Spanish‑language dominance and its opposition to American culture. Right‑wing influencers and activists echoed the sentiment. Turning Point USA attempted to counterprogram the halftime show entirely, hosting an alternative broadcast in protest, featuring Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett. Despite the boycotting efforts here, Bad Bunny’s halftime show performance remains as the second most watched show in Super Bowl history with 128 million views (at the time of writing this piece). 

Bad Bunny’s halftime show may be remembered less for its choreography or guest appearances and more for what it represented: a shift in who gets to occupy America’s biggest stage and how that presence is interpreted. The show unfolded as a full‑blown wedding, complete with a processional, symbolic staging and visual messages that moved from celebration, to conflict, to reconciliation. Ocasio made a bold choice for a broadcast that typically prioritizes spectacle over storytelling; this signaled a shift in what a Super Bowl halftime show can really be.

Bad Bunny’s finale is what cemented the performance – as he sang his song “DtMF,” a massive sign illuminated the football field in bold lettering: “THE ONLY THING STRONGER THAN HATE IS LOVE.” It was a direct, unmistakable message. After weeks of backlash, political commentary and cultural debate, Bad Bunny closed his show with this statement as a metaphor for the possibility of unity in a country that often feels like it is pulling itself apart.

Perhaps that’s the most telling part: the 2026 halftime show didn’t become political because Bad Bunny made it so. It became political because America did.