Bad Bunny Halftime Show Versus Turning Point USA Alternative Highlights A Divided Nation

Last night was the biggest television event of the year: the Super Bowl.

Yet the NFL decided that Puerto Rican native “Bad Bunny” was the best fit for the halftime show, performing his entire set in Spanish and leaving tens of millions of English-speaking Americans in the dark. Some even tuned into an alternative halftime show produced by Turning Point USA.

The big question is why the NFL forced Americans to watch the entire Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish when English is the official language. 

Lo único más poderoso que el odio, es el amor.

The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate is Love. @sanbenito #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/0VDQlSjet9

— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2026

It seems political, yet another sign that the U.S. is in the middle of a cultural war.

The NFL having a Super Bowl Halftime Show where their performer sings ENTIRELY in Spanish & waves other nation’s flags, is % a political statement.

Bad Bunny will go down as the worst halftime show in the history of the league.

America deserved better for its 250th birthday. pic.twitter.com/Glu9BLT5Tp

— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) February 9, 2026

But as the Latin trap artist performed, some viewers reached for translator apps on their phones to understand the lyrics, while others switched to Turning Point USA’s halftime show, which featured Kid Rock, Lee Brice, Bradley Gilbert, and Gabby Barrett. The broadcast appeared to be popular, drawing an estimated 10 million viewers.

BREAKING: TPUSA’s All-American Halftime Show just got over 10 MILLION live viewers and 25 MILLION social media views, in a huge victory for the culture

Wow! That’s HUGE!

They said it was impossible, but it just happened
pic.twitter.com/XRBQXsc6qp

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 9, 2026

Bad Bunny was criticized by Americans on Sunday night. Even President Trump chimed in:

The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World.

This “Show” is just a “slap in the face” to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day — including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History! There is nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show and watch, it will get great reviews from the Fake News Media, because they haven’t got a clue of what is going on in the REAL WORLD — And, by the way, the NFL should immediately replace its ridiculous new Kickoff Rule. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Immediately after the Super Bowl performance, Bad Bunny deleted his entire Instagram feed …

Bad Bunny has wiped his Instagram following his #SuperBowl halftime show. pic.twitter.com/McpZbitbWj

— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 9, 2026

The NFL chose a Latin trap artist to wave foreign flags at the halftime show on the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. 

And in the end, Bad Bunny’s halftime show versus Turning Point USA’s alternative halftime show underscored one important theme: a nation divided. 

You will find more infographics at Statista

Political partisanship is a clear fault line in this controversy: Democrats are strongly favorable to the Puerto Rican artist’s participation (52 percent satisfied, 8 percent dissatisfied), while Republicans are overwhelmingly negative about it (12 percent satisfied, 53 percent dissatisfied). For their part, Independents are characterized by a certain detachment on this matter (43 percent don’t care).