President Donald Trump was caught watching the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny, even though he had criticized the artist and called the performance an “affront to America.” A video that spread on social media shows the Latin singer’s performance playing on several screens at what looks like the president’s own watch party.
According to The Daily Beast, the event happened at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump can be seen in the video sitting at a table with Senator Lindsey Graham while the show played. This is surprising because the president posted harsh comments about the performance right after the game.
On Truth Social, he wrote, “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” He also said the show “makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America.” He criticized the artist, saying, “Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching.”
The singer is a vocal critic of Trump and his policies
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, is a strong critic of Trump. His performance happened during the NFL’s biggest event in Santa Clara, California. The show celebrated Latin culture and the Latin-American community, with the star singing mostly in Spanish. This is a community Trump has targeted as part of his immigration policies since taking office again last year.
Before the game, Trump made it clear he was against Bad Bunny. He refused to attend the match in person, saying he was “anti-them,” talking about both Bad Bunny and the punk band Green Day. Earlier reports suggested Trump’s decision to skip the game was influenced by concerns from his team.
He called the NFL’s choices a “terrible choice” and said he wouldn’t attend because it was “just too far away.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters last week, “I think the president would much prefer a Kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny.”
While Trump watched the performance he called terrible, Charlie Kirk’s group, Turning Point USA, hosted an alternative show with pro-Trump rapper Kid Rock. That performance was a failure, drawing only about 5 million viewers.
Bad Bunny’s halftime show brought in 135 million viewers, making it the most-watched NFL halftime show in history. The Super Bowl itself also sparked controversy over immigration enforcement concerns in the host city. Kid Rock’s performance was also mocked because the rapper appeared to lip-sync most or all of his set. It’s not clear if Trump watched Kid Rock’s criticized performance at his golf club. But based on the video, he clearly made time to watch the show he called an “affront” to America.
Published: Feb 9, 2026 12:34 pm