Piers Morgan rebukes Trump, hails Bad Bunny's 'amazing' Super Bowl act with 'unifying message'

WASHINGTON, DC: Piers Morgan publicly defended Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance after President Donald Trump blasted the show as “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst, ever!”

Responding on social media on Monday, February 9, Morgan said that he “couldn’t disagree more” with the president, praising the performance for its energy, choreography and message.

“I absolutely loved Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Amazing (best in Super Bowl history?) theatre/choreography, great energy, superbly confident performance, and a very welcome unifying message,” Morgan wrote. “Oh, and Spanish is 1st language for 50m+ Americans!”

Trump calls Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance a ‘slap in the face’

Trump reacted angrily to the show in a lengthy post on Truth Social, saying it failed to represent “the Greatness of America” and criticized its Spanish lyrics and choreography.

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children,” Trump wrote, calling the performance a “slap in the face” to the country.

He also used the post to boast about economic records and to criticize the NFL’s new kickoff rule.

Cultural backlash and polarized reaction

Bad Bunny’s performance quickly polarized viewers, with critics complaining about the use of Spanish lyrics and the display of foreign flags, while supporters praised the show as a celebration of Latino culture and diversity.

In a follow-up post, Morgan pushed back against the language criticism, noting that Trump himself used foreign-language music during past campaigns.

“Reminder that when he first ran for President in 2016, Donald Trump played Pavarotti’s Nessun Dorma at many of his campaign rallies. In Italian,” Morgan wrote.

Laura Loomer attacks Bad Bunny while Gavin Newsom supports 

The controversy escalated further when Laura Loomer reacted to the halftime show by posting, “SOMEONE CALL IN AN ICE RAID AT THE SUPER BOWL!” a comment that drew sharp criticism online.

Morgan’s defense of Bad Bunny marked the second time in recent days that he publicly criticized Trump. 

Earlier, Morgan accused the president of spreading “vile racist imagery” after Trump shared a social media video depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.

Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom shared a post on social media praising Bad Bunny for his 2026 Super Bowl performance. He “thanked” the rapper on X. Newsom posted shortly after the show ended, as Bad Bunny’s performance drew significant attention online. 

The governor’s press office also declared Super Bowl Sunday as “Bad Bunny Day.” 

"As many people know, I am a tremendous lover of 'the Spanish'. It is a beautiful language spoken by many beautiful people in the great state of California and across the world. I am also a huge fan of Puerrrrrrrto Rico," the statement read.

"That is why I am declaring tomorrow in California as 'Bad Bunny Day' when Bad Bunny performs at the big game in the Golden State with his soothing, beautiful voice, and his very nice looks," Newsom's statement concluded.