Bad Bunny’s groundbreaking, all-Spanish Super Bowl halftime show broke viewership records but sparked a major conservative backlash, leading Jon Stewart to deliver a sharp comedic takedown on The Daily Show. The performance, which aired on February 9, 2026, became a cultural flashpoint, drawing criticism from former President Donald Trump and prompting an alternative “All-American” show from the group Turning Point USA. Stewart mocked the outrage, highlighting the political divide over language, culture, and what it means to be American.
The controversy erupted almost immediately as Bad Bunny took the stage at Levi’s Stadium. The Puerto Rican superstar’s set was a vibrant celebration of Latin American culture, featuring scenes of sugar cane fields, domino games, and food vendors. It included surprise appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. Despite its cinematic scale, the core complaint from many conservative critics was the language. For the first time in Super Bowl history, the halftime show was performed almost entirely in Spanish.
Donald Trump and MAGA Figures Lead the Criticism
The most high-profile criticism came from former President Donald Trump. Watching from his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump took to Truth Social to blast the performance.
“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,” Trump wrote.
He added, “Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children.”
Trump’s sentiments were echoed by other MAGA-aligned figures. Commentator Benny Johnson called it “the single worst halftime show in NFL history”. Some, like Florida Rep. Maria Salazar, argued that the lack of English subtitles made the show exclusive rather than inclusive. Influencer and boxer Jake Paul initially called Bad Bunny a “fake American citizen,” though he later walked back those comments.
The backlash led the conservative group Turning Point USA to sponsor a counter-programming event called the “All-American Halftime Show,” which featured Kid Rock and other performers. The alternative show was viewed by more than 6 million people.
Jon Stewart’s Blistering Comedic Takedown
On the February 9 episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart dedicated a segment to mocking the conservative meltdown. He expressed his own admiration for Bad Bunny’s “joyful and infectious” performance before cutting to clips of outraged commentators.
Stewart sarcastically noted that for some, everything must be “filtered through a particular MAGA-centric worldview,” which “doesn’t include knowing where the biblioteca is”. He saved particular mockery for the deeply tanned host of the alternative show, Sid Rosenberg, joking, “who put Thanos over here in the air fryer?”
Stewart then played a clip from the Turning Point USA show of Kid Rock performing his song “Bawitdaba,” mockingly praising its clear use of the “King’s English.”
“Thank you!” Stewart exclaimed. “Merriam and Webster couldn’t have put it better themselves regarding the up-jumping of said boogie, insofar as the diggy-diggy-diggy, being da-bang-a-da-bang.”
He also directly mocked Trump’s claim that “nobody” could understand Bad Bunny. “Nobody?” Stewart said with a laugh. “I love that he thinks Bad Bunny is the one guy in the world that’s fluent in Spanish.” Mimicking Trump, he quipped, “It’s a dead language.”
The Performance’s Political and Cultural Symbolism
Beyond the language, critics took issue with the show’s symbolism. Some interpreted scenes of sugar cane fields and workers as a nod to professions with large migrant footprints. The finale, where Bad Bunny named every country in the Americas while surrounded by their flags, was seen by some as a statement of pan-American unity rather than a celebration of the United States specifically.
A lyric in Ricky Martin’s song “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” which translates to “I don’t want them to do with you what happened to Hawaii,” was highlighted by critics as a possible critique of U.S. territorial expansion. Bad Bunny has been vocal about his support for Puerto Rican sovereignty and has criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The performance ended with a message displayed on screen: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Bad Bunny then said, “God bless America”.
A Fractured Conservative Response and Record Viewership
Despite the loud criticism, the conservative response was not monolithic. Some right-leaning voices publicly defended the show. Former Trump staffer Caroline Sunshine pointed out that Bad Bunny’s show featured a real wedding ceremony, highlighting the “institution of marriage”. Commentator Emily Austin posted, “Bad Bunny and a USA flag? YES PLEASE,” and argued that criticism over his ethnicity was “weak”.
Logan Paul publicly disagreed with his brother Jake’s initial criticism, stating, “Puerto Ricans are Americans & I’m happy they were given the opportunity to showcase the talent that comes from the island.” Meghan McCain simply questioned the taste of anyone who didn’t enjoy the show.
Ultimately, the controversy did not hurt viewership. Bad Bunny’s halftime show set a new record with approximately 135.4 million viewers, surpassing the previous record set by Kendrick Lamar. This massive audience indicates that while the performance became a political battleground, it successfully captivated a global audience.
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