--- title: Trump Lashes Out at Bad Bunny's Historic Super Bowl Set description: Trump labeled it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever.” canonical: https://time.com/7373048/trump-bad-bunny-super-bowl-performance-criticism/ author: Tiago Ventura article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-02-09T13:53:35.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:43:05.289Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Lashes Out at Bad Bunny's Historic Super Bowl Set og:description: Trump labeled it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever.” og:url: https://time.com/7373048/trump-bad-bunny-super-bowl-performance-criticism/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt18b6d0a4ddf5d246/6998ce55e2d64b0d3fc602ab/GettyImages-2259686779.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5397 og:image:height: 3036 og:image:alt: President Trump Spends Weekend At His Mar-a-Lago Resort In Florida og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Lashes Out at Bad Bunny's Historic Super Bowl Set twitter:description: Trump labeled it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever.” twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt18b6d0a4ddf5d246/6998ce55e2d64b0d3fc602ab/GettyImages-2259686779.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Lashes Out at Bad Bunny's Historic Super Bowl Performance: 'One of the Worst Ever' > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Bad Bunny reflects on what it means to give back to his fans and community [Watch (HLS stream): Bad Bunny reflects on what it means to give back to his fans and community](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ybY0Yywk.m3u8) (1:47)  _Published 2026-02-09. Trump labeled it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever.”_  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Feb 9, 2026 1:53 PM UTC  President Donald Trump gaggles with reporters while aboard Air Force One on Feb. 6, 2026, in Palm Beach, Florida. President Donald Trump gaggles with reporters while aboard Air Force One on Feb. 6, 2026, in Palm Beach, Florida. Samuel Corum—Getty Images  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Feb 9, 2026 1:53 PM UTC President Donald Trump criticized [Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime](https://time.com/7373018/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show-analysis/) performance, labeling it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever.” It’s “an affront to the greatness of America” and a “slap in the face to our country,” Trump [claimed](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116038200403048483) via Truth Social. Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny—born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—made history at the Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif., delivering the first all-Spanish-language halftime set (save for a song performed in English by guest star Lady Gaga). In reference to the Spanish-language focus, Trump claimed “nobody understands a word this guy is saying.” (A [study](https://cervantesobservatorio.fas.harvard.edu/en/about/spanish-in-united-states) in 2023 found that almost 500 million people worldwide speak Spanish as their mother tongue.)  Bad Bunny performs at the Super Bowl on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif. Kevin Sabitus—Getty Images Trump previously criticized the “ridiculous” decision to have Bad Bunny headline the Super Bowl, claiming hehad “[never heard](https://youtu.be/VFUyM6auMns?t=416)” of the Puerto Rican musician. The President was among a group of conservatives who instead championed Turning Point USA’s alternative to the Super Bowl halftime show. The “All American Halftime Show” featured performances from artists such as Kid Rock, a long-time Trump supporter. Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked about Trump’s viewing plans, [said](https://www.facebook.com/reel/1943422509616197) she thought the President “would much prefer a Kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny.” At the Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, Bad Bunny used his acceptance speeches to criticize how the Trump Administration is carrying out its immigration crackdown. Calling out[ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)](https://www.instagram.com/p/DUPbfrPjPEF/?hl=en), the musician said: “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 are humans and we are Americans,” he said. “I know it’s tough to know not to hate on these days, and I was thinking, sometimes we get contaminados \[contaminated\]—I don’t know how to say that in English. The hate gets more powerful with more hate.” Although Bad Bunny didn’t directly mention the Trump Administration in his performance on Sunday, he used his time on the field to showcase a message of unity.  Bad Bunny performs in the Apple Music Halftime Show during the NFL Super Bowl 60 at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif. Kevin Sabitus—Getty Images At the conclusion of his set, he held a football bearing the message: “Together, we are America.” A screen in the background displayed the words “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Bad Bunny shouted out “God Bless America” and named multiple countries and territories, including Puerto Rico, while people behind him carried flags. Several prominent figures praised the performance, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose response stood in stark contrast to that of Trump. “America, the beautiful. Thank you, Bad Bunny,” said [Newsom](https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/2020672849741336789). His office also championed the set, [calling](https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/2020674197119205874) it “beautiful.” Ahead of the performance, Newsom [declared](https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/2020226548985655513) Super Bowl Sunday “Bad Bunny Day” in California. 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