Celebrating the 60th Super Bowl Halftime Show on February 8 at Levi's Stadium, California, was another unforgettable event that attracted more than 100 million viewers around the world. This time, the star of the show was Puerto Rican and famous American singer and performer Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, accompanied by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. This year, Bad Bunny won three Grammy Awards and made history as the first Grammy winner for an album featuring only Spanish-language songs.

According to the Super Bowl organizers, halftime performers usually do not get paid for the show; the reward is simple — popularity and promotion for the singer. Last year, after Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show at the Super Bowl, his Spotify streams increased by around 175%.

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Bad Bunny became the first artist to win the prestigious Album of the Year award for a record sung entirely in Spanish, Debí Tirar Más Fotos.

Photo by Comecoquito from creativecommons (CC0 1.0).

Historical Performance

At the 68th Grammy Awards in 2026, Bad Bunny took the opportunity to make a statement in his acceptance speech against U.S. immigration enforcement and Trump’s political choices, especially ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), which had become a contentious issue in national protests. When he accepted the award for Best Música Urbana Album, he began his speech by saying “ICE out” to applause and continued, “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.” He spoke about the strength of love over hate and encouraged people to react to cruelty with compassion, not anger. He added that if people decided to fight, they should fight “with love” for their communities and families, not with hate.

After Bad Bunny’s halftime show at the Super Bowl, President Donald Trump reacted strongly on social media, calling the show “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever,” saying that it was embarrassing how Bad Bunny affronted the greatness of America. He argued that the show did not represent the real America, its values, or its traditions. He also criticized the predominant use of the Spanish language, saying, “Nobody understands a word this guy is saying.”

Bad Bunny’s Statement and Trump’s Reaction

This is not the first time President Donald Trump has expressed his dissatisfaction with well-known American faces such as Jimmy Kimmel and Trevor Noah on social media. Photo: Daniel Torok from Wikimedia Commons. White House Public domains.

Rising distrust in ICE and Trump’s politics

Undoubtedly, after the 37-year-old mother of three young children, Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, were shot by ICE officers, distrust of ICE services began to grow significantly across the country. Protests and gatherings were organized to honor the victims and send a message that people strongly oppose such actions by ICE.

According to a Marist Poll from early February 2026, 65% of Americans believe that ICE’s actions have gone too far in enforcing U.S. immigration laws, up from 54% six months earlier. Only 12% think ICE has not gone far enough, and 22% say its actions are about right.

After Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, his message went viral and reached social media platforms and news headlines. His words were supported by many Latin-related stars in the U.S. and many other famous figures. After the statement, more and more people in the U.S. began sharing the importance of defending human rights and expressing outrage over ICE’s actions.

As of late 2025, the Department of Homeland Security reported that more than 605,000 individuals were deported under Trump’s second presidency. Photo by usicegov. Public domain.

This year's Super Bowl halftime show attracted more than 128 million viewers. Around 380 people were involved on stage during the performance, and approximately 3,000 stage workers had to set up and then remove the stage within 20 minutes. At the Super Bowl LX halftime show, Bad Bunny delivered a historic performance, and social media exploded with dozens of clips and pictures pointing to his message for America.

He presented a cultural statement that celebrated Latin American identity while speaking directly to the United States through the show. Framed as a vibrant tribute to Puerto Rico and the broader Latino diaspora, the performance highlighted the Spanish language, Caribbean rhythms, and powerful visual symbols of heritage and resistance, emphasizing pride in Latin roots on one of America’s biggest stages. He mentioned all the Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas and closed the show with the message, “Together we are America.” By referencing countries across the Western Hemisphere, he expanded the idea of “America” beyond U.S. borders, underscoring inclusion, unity, and shared identity across North, Central, and South America. Blending cultural celebration with subtle political undertones tied to Puerto Rico’s history and status, the performance ultimately conveyed a message that diversity strengthens the nation and that love, representation, and cultural recognition are central to a more inclusive American narrative.