By Rieley McDonnell, Head Copy Editor

The controversy around the 2026 Super Bowl LX halftime show reflected the ever-present political tensions within the United States, but Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny’s performance broke through them. 

Since Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime show headliner in September, the choice caused an uproar from conservative voices.

“It’s so shameful that they’ve decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime game,” Department of Homeland Security adviser Corey Lewandowski said on The Benny Show podcast. 

Despite the backlash, the National Football League (NFL) stood with their decision to have Bad Bunny as the performer. Many have applauded this decision.

“A lot of online debate lies in racism against Hispanic communities without taking into account how the NFL wants to expand their viewer base internationally,” sophomore Philosophy, Politics, and the Public and criminal justice double major Shane Griffin said. 

The show itself was full of political allusions. The set design highlighted Puerto Rican culture. The performance began in sugarcane fields and transitioned through domino games, food carts, a liquor store, a barber shop and La Casita, a main feature of Bad Bunny’s latest tour. Dancing at La Casita were celebrities such as Pedro Pascal, Cardi B and Alix Earle.

Two surprise musical guests made an appearance. Lady Gaga, who has previously collaborated with Bad Bunny, sang a salsa-inspired rendition of her hit song “Die With a Smile.” Ricky Martin was the second surprise guest and performed a cover of Bad Bunny’s song  “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii.”

“I really liked it. I had never listened to Bad Bunny before, but I was vibing so hard that I might listen to him more,” junior psychology major Alonna Hill said. 

The major theme of the performance was unity. A central aspect of the performance was a real wedding that took place in the middle of the show. The couple had invited Bad Bunny to their wedding and he, in turn, asked them to get married during his halftime performance. 

One scene during the performance showed Bad Bunny handing his Grammy award to a little boy representing a child version of himself. Many online users speculated the child was Liam Ramos, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota this past January. The speculation was false, since the child was confirmed to be child-actor Lincoln Fox. 

The show ended with Bad Bunny singing “El Apagón,” “CAFé CON RON” and “DtMF.” Dancers flooded around him and carried flags of different countries from the Americas, while Bad Bunny sang the countries’ names. 

Behind everyone was a billboard that said, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” He also carried a football with the message “Together, We Are America.”

Bad Bunny decided to not perform in the U.S. on his latest tour because of the potential danger his concerts posed to his fans. 

“But there was the issue of — like, f***ing ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” Bad Bunny said in an interview to i-D Magazine. He later posted on X saying he might do a single show in the U.S.

The NFL’s chief security officer, Cathy Lanier, confirmed that there were no plans for ICE, or any branch of the Department of Homeland Security, to be present at the 2026 Super Bowl. 

In light of the NFL’s performance choice, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) put together their own “All-American Halftime Show” in protest. TPUSA’s line-up included Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett. 

“Thank you for your courage as an organization, your clarity and your leadership and for this halftime show that the War Department is proud to support,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in the clip shown during the TPUSA event.

The performers were on a stage littered with pyrotechnics, and the event was streamed on YouTube and Rumble, along with a few different conservative media outlets such as One America News. Brice played his song “Country Nowadays,” while Kid Rock played his song “Bawitdaba” with an American flag unfurled behind him.

“I would rather listen to someone sing in Spanish than someone who has a song that contains lyrics about liking underage girls,” Griffin said, in reference to Kid Rock’s song “Cool, Daddy Cool.”