Overview

• The NFL, Roc Nation and Apple Music named Bad Bunny to headline the Feb. 8, 2026 halftime show in Santa Clara, marking the first male Latin artist to lead the event.
• In a Newsmax interview, President Trump said he had “never heard of” the artist and called the decision “crazy” and “absolutely ridiculous.”
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE agents will be “all over” the Super Bowl, and DHS adviser Corey Lewandowski warned there is “no safe haven” from enforcement at the venue.
• Bad Bunny responded on Saturday Night Live with a bilingual monologue framing the show as a win for Latino communities and joking that critics have “four months to learn” Spanish.
• Conservative backlash has focused on his Spanish-language catalog and past ICE concerns, while supporters including Jennifer Lopez praised the selection as a milestone for Latin music.