Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 2026 halftime teaser sparks backlash as ICE threats loom

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Bad Bunny hasn’t sung a single note yet, but his Super Bowl 2026 halftime show is already at the center of a political firestorm.

A nine-second teaser released earlier this week was enough to set off outrage among MAGA-aligned commentators, with immigration enforcement and federal power now being dragged into a conversation that was supposed to be about music.

MAGA backlash erupts over Bad Bunny teaser

Within hours of the teaser going live, hostile comments flooded X and other platforms.

One viral post read, “NEVER HEARD A SINGLE SONG,” while another added, “This guy better go star in some Puerto Rican movie, it'll suit him well.”

One user wrote, “I can tell you right now that I won't be watching bad bunny, anyone that calls this entertainment need their head examined.”

Another user commented, "ICE has the opportunity to the funniest thing ever."

Another added, "This has to be the most boring superbowl."

One user commented, saying, "He was only chosen as a political statement."

Another petition, which has now gathered more than 78,000 signatures, urges the league to replace him with country legend George Strait, arguing that Bad Bunny’s “style” is not what families want from the halftime show.

The backlash is unfolding against the backdrop of heightened immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump’s second administration, adding fuel to an already volatile debate.

ICE enforcement looms large in the conversation

Earlier this month, more than 2,000 ICE officers were deployed across Minneapolis in what officials described as the largest operation of its kind.

That operation ended in tragedy when an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a killing that sparked days of protests across the city. Days later, a Venezuelan man was shot in the leg during a separate ICE operation, intensifying scrutiny of federal tactics.

Against that backdrop, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem escalated tensions further by directly referencing Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl. “The NFL will not be able to sleep at night,” Noem said during a recent media briefing, adding that ICE would be “all over” the event.

The comment stunned critics and further inflamed supporters who saw it as a warning or a threat, tied to the artist’s identity and fan base.

Bad Bunny’s history with immigration fears

Bad Bunny, a US citizen born in Puerto Rico, has spoken openly about immigration enforcement in the past. In a 2024 interview with i-D magazine, he explained why he avoided performing on the mainland during a previous tour.

“There was the issue of, like, f*****g ICE could be outside my concert,” he said at the time, underscoring how immigration raids were already shaping his decisions as an artist.

That history has resurfaced as critics frame his Super Bowl appearance as political, even though the teaser itself made no such statement.

Historic halftime show draws predictable controversy

The 2026 Super Bowl will mark the first halftime show performed entirely in Spanish, a milestone that supporters have celebrated and critics have seized upon. Bad Bunny himself leaned into that moment during his ‘Saturday Night Live’ hosting gig on October 4, 2025, quipping, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s decision back in October 2025, acknowledging the backlash but dismissing it as inevitable. “We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” he said. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”

Goodell added, “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.

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