Donald Trump has branded Bad Bunny‘s Super Bowl Halftime Show slot in 2026 “crazy” and says he’s “never heard of him”.
- READ MORE: Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ review: ode to homeland is a new high for the Puerto Rican star
Last week, the Puerto Rican musician made headlines when he was announced as the headliner for the 2026 event in February, an announcement that came after he admitted that he won’t be touring the US during his forthcoming world tour due to fears over ICE agents raiding his concerts.
Announcing the slot, he wrote on social media: “I’ve been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I’ll do just one date in the United States.” A member of Trump‘s administration then confirmed that ICE agents would be present at the show.
The announcement of the show resulted in a right-wing backlash and US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem criticising the NFL for choosing Bad Bunny as its halftime performer, despite the largely Spanish-performing artist being a US citizen.
Over the weekend Bad Bunny made an appearance on Saturday Night Live, which saw him take aim at the right-wing backlash to the upcoming performance, joking that “everyone is happy” about the concert, “even Fox News.”
Now, Trump has waded into the row over the musician’s booking. He told NewsMax host Greg Kelly: “I never heard of him. I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter that they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
In a statement regarding Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance, Jay-Z, who serves as the NFL’s music strategist via his label Roc Nation’s partnership with the league, recently said: “What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honoured to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
TRUMP: I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BAD BUNNY, I DON’T KNOW WHO HE IS
— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) October 7, 2025
Elsewhere, Noem also recently confirmed ICE’s presence will be felt at the forthcoming show.
“I have the responsibility for making sure everybody goes to the Super Bowl, has the opportunity to enjoy it and to leave,” she said during an appearance on The Benny Show.
“That’s what America’s about. So yeah, we’ll be all over that place. We’re going to enforce the law. So, I think people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country.”
Bad Bunny recently concluded his historic Puerto Rico residency, with the final gig live-streamed to fans across the globe on Amazon Music and Twitch channels.
The night saw the Puerto Rican artist bring out a host of special guests to see off the residency, including RaiNao, Dei V, Ñengo Flow, Arcángel, De La Ghetto, Jowell & Randy and salsa legend Marc Anthony. The latter teamed up with Bad Bunny for a heartfelt take on ‘Preciosa’.