When MAGA Throws a Tantrum Over Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl

by Chris Peterson

It’s NFL season, which means America’s great unifier—the halftime show—is once again serving as a battlefield for the culture wars. This year, the outrage machine has chosen its new villain: Bad Bunny. Yes, the Puerto Rican global superstar, one of the most-streamed artists in the world, is apparently too “un-American” for some corners of MAGA nation.

Their reasoning? He sings in Spanish. He’s outspoken about social issues. He’s proud of his culture and refuses to tone it down for anyone. In other words, he’s everything that makes the modern American story worth celebrating, and therefore, in their eyes, everything wrong with it.

Let’s be honest: MAGA’s fury isn’t really about music. It’s about identity. It’s about ownership. It’s about who they think is “allowed” to represent America on the biggest stage in the world. And once again, their reaction says far more about them than it does about Bad Bunny.

One of the loudest complaints floating around conservative media is that Bad Bunny performs in Spanish. How dare he sing in a language spoken by millions of Americans, right? Never mind that Spanish was being spoken on this continent long before English ever was. Never mind that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that Bad Bunny himself is an American citizen. The outrage boils down to a single, unspoken anxiety: they’re hearing the country change, and they can’t stand it.

This isn’t new. Every time the NFL books a performer who doesn’t fit neatly into the MAGA mold—Shakira, J. Lo, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé—the same talking points roll out. “Why can’t they pick someone who represents real America?” As if “real America” doesn’t include Latino, Black, queer, and bilingual Americans who love football just as much as anyone else. As if patriotism only counts when it’s sung in English.

The funniest part is that Bad Bunny’s fans are some of the most passionate in the world. They’ll tune in. They’ll sing along. They’ll dance. They’ll share clips that reach millions. That’s how culture works. You can’t gatekeep it, you can only participate—or get left behind. The ratings will be exactly what Apple Music and the NFL want.

Then comes the political part. MAGA influencers are furious that the NFL would platform an artist who has criticized Trump and spoken out about immigration. As if being political automatically disqualifies you from entertaining a crowd. They’d prefer an apolitical halftime show, something “safe,” something bland enough to be played in a Cracker Barrel dining room. But art isn’t supposed to be safe. It’s supposed to be alive.

Bad Bunny has never hidden his beliefs. He’s spoken about the treatment of Puerto Rico(which is part of the United States, in case you didn’t know), the failures of government, the importance of visibility for marginalized groups. He’s not subtle—and that’s exactly why people love him. His music, style, and attitude all radiate a kind of authenticity that can’t be faked. MAGA doesn’t hate him because he’s political; they hate him because he’s unapologetic.

Perhaps the most absurd part of this entire saga came when a few MAGA politicians hinted that ICE should “monitor” the Super Bowl because of Bad Bunny’s presence. It’s a classic tactic of fearmongering disguised as patriotism. When you can’t win the culture, you police it.

But what that really reveals is a fear of losing control. For decades, the conservative image of America was white, English-speaking, and dominated by one idea of masculinity. Bad Bunny embodies the opposite: he’s Latino, bilingual, and openly defiant of gender norms. He’s everything they were told was “too different” to succeed—and he’s winning anyway. He’s also already performed during the show with Shakira back in 2020.

That’s what drives them mad. Not the music. Not the politics. The success.

The Super Bowl halftime show isn’t just entertainment—it’s a mirror. Every year, it reflects back where the country is culturally, who’s shaping it, and whose voices are being heard. When Michael Jackson moonwalked across the stage, it reflected one era. When Beyoncé performed “Formation,” it reflected another. When Bad Bunny takes that stage, he’ll represent the America that actually exists in 2025: multilingual, multicultural, and unbothered by the outrage of those who wish time could rewind.

MAGA wants to pretend they’re the guardians of “traditional America,” but the truth is that they’re spectators of a culture that moved on without them. Their nostalgia has curdled into resentment. They can’t stop the rhythm, so they boo the beat.

There’s something profoundly American about Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl. He’s the son of a truck driver and a schoolteacher. He built his career independently, broke language barriers, and now headlines the biggest event in sports. That’s the dream, isn’t it? Work hard, stay true to yourself, and make it big. You’d think that would be the kind of success story conservatives would cheer for.

But they can’t, because it challenges their narrow idea of who gets to symbolize America. To them, patriotism is about sameness. To everyone else, it’s about inclusion.

When Bad Bunny performs, millions will sing along. They might not understand every word, but they’ll feel it. That’s the point. Music has always transcended borders and languages. It’s the universal language of joy, and joy has no political party.

So let the MAGA faithful rage on their podcasts and comment sections. Let them declare the downfall of Western civilization because someone dared to sing in Spanish at halftime. The rest of us will be too busy dancing.

Because the truth is, this outrage will fade by Monday morning, replaced by the next grievance of the week. But the image of Bad Bunny—standing in front of millions, performing his heart out, celebrating who he is without compromise—will linger. That’s the power of representation. That’s the power of art.

And that’s the most American thing of all.