Donald Trump Attacks Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Show: "An Affront to America"

The performance of the currently most popular Latin artist, Bad Bunny, during the halftime show of Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, became a flashpoint in the American culture war. The 13-minute show, a tribute to Puerto Rico and Latin American culture, was delivered almost entirely in Spanish, with stage design referencing Caribbean landscapes. The artist incorporated elements of social criticism into the performance, which was met with enthusiasm from liberal circles but sparked fierce opposition from conservatives. The Super Bowl Halftime Show has long been a platform for artists expressing political views. In 2020, the performance by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira also sparked a discussion about Latino identity in the USA, and in 2016, Beyoncé referenced the Black Lives Matter movement. The reaction of former U.S. President Donald Trump was immediate. On his social media platform Truth Social, the politician did not spare criticism, calling the performance "absolutely terrible." Trump accused the artist of delivering a message incomprehensible to the average American and constituting "an affront to America's greatness." This statement fits into a broader rhetorical strategy of the MAGA camp, which for weeks had been calling for a boycott of the event due to it "being woke."6.1 million — viewers watched the competing MAGA concert Trump-supporting circles organized an alternative music event featuring, among others, Kid Rock, promoted as "purely American." However, this attempt ended in a public relations failure – the alternative show attracted only a fraction of the Super Bowl audience. In the shadow of the scandal, the game was played, in which the Seattle Seahawks got revenge on their rivals by defeating the New England Patriots. [{"side1": "Seattle Seahawks", "side2": "New England Patriots", "score1": 29, "score2": 13}]

Image experts, such as Ewelina Salwuk-Marko, point out that Trump's criticism is not accidental and aims to mobilize the electorate by fueling anti-immigrant sentiments. Bad Bunny's performance, which included references to Puerto Rico's problems and the activities of the immigration enforcement agency ICE, became a symbol of resistance against Republican policies.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media praised the performance as a historic celebration of diversity and a bold voice in defense of Puerto Rico and the Latino minority in the USA. Conservative media and Trump supporters view the show as an anti-American provocation, criticizing the lack of English and the politicization of sports.