Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl ‘God bless America’ moment drew criticism: Here's why

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA: Singer Bad Bunny stirred debate during his Super Bowl halftime show Sunday, February 8, night when he briefly spoke in English and declared, “God bless America”.

This phrase, long associated with traditional US patriotism, sparked criticism after Bad Bunny broadened its meaning to countries across North, Central, and South America.

Experts analyze Bad Bunny’s reimagining of ‘God Bless America’ at the Super Bowl

After saying “God bless America”, Bad Bunny named several countries including Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, the United States, and Canada. He then spiked a football that read, “Together, we are America.” 

This sparked widespread controversy, with several experts weighing in.

Mashable described the moment as intentional, writing, “He then, however, referenced all the countries in the Americas, not just the United States. It was a pointed message of unity and togetherness."

Forbes contributor Hannah Abraham noted that “God Bless America” has long been a staple at major sporting events, especially the Super Bowl, but said Bad Bunny offered a fresh take. 

“There's a long tradition of ‘God Bless America’ being performed at sporting events, particularly the Super Bowl. It's typically sung in English by artists representing traditional American values and aesthetics,” Abraham wrote. 

She added that Bad Bunny’s approach, “a spoken phrase rather than the song fully sung, delivered in English after an hour of Spanish, followed immediately by a celebration of Latin nations before circling back to ‘USA’ — reimagined what blessing America can look like.”

Michael Knowles reveals why Bad Bunny said 'God Bless America'

Conservative commentator Michael Knowles shared his views on Bad Bunny’s use of the phrase “God bless America” during Super Bowl LX while appearing on Piers Morgan Uncensored.  

Although Knowles said he did not find any single statement in the performance inherently offensive, he argued that the larger issue lay elsewhere, claiming, “The problem with it was that Bad Bunny hates America.”

He suggested the singer’s criticism extended beyond specific leaders or policies, adding, “He doesn't just hate one president or some other president. He doesn't just hate some policy or some other policy. He is specifically irate over the enforcement of federal immigration law passed by both parties, enforced in history by both parties.”

Knowles went on to question the artist’s intentions, saying, “He has frequently thrown jabs at America, up to and including speaking a language that the vast majority of Americans do not speak at this performance. And then I think the key that he did not have good intentions here came at the end when he said the one fleeting little bit of English in the performance. He said 'God bless America' and then he followed that up by naming a ton of Latin American countries.” He argued that the phrase was used sarcastically, adding, “So when we hear God bless America, traditionally we use that to mean 'God bless our country'. He was using this in an ironic way to say you're not even America.”

Bad Bunny’s ‘God bless America’ moment divides viewers

Bad Bunny’s use of the phrase “God bless America” pushed a broader idea of what “America” means, and many viewers saw it as an intentional reframing. The moment drew both praise and criticism from media figures, politicians, and the public. The performance also showed people waving flags from several countries, including the United States.

Texas state Rep Jeff Leach criticized the moment on X, writing, “And also, this is America. Not the United Nations. If you legally immigrate here from another Nation, fine. You’re welcome here.” He added, “But when you become a citizen, you stop flying your native flag, and you fly the American flag. What in God’s name is the NFL thinking?!?!”

Another X user offered a different interpretation, saying, “One thing non-Hispanics may not fully grasp is that when Bad Bunny said ‘God bless America’ and listed dozens of countries, he was invoking a very old trope of the Latin American left, which insists Americans arrogantly claimed the name of two continents for ourselves."

The progressive X account Headquarters, formerly known as the pro–Kamala Harris account KamalaHQ, applauded the moment, calling it a powerful “message” of love.