Politics in The Super Bowl LX Halftime Show -

By Olivia Sobkowicz

Super Bowl LX took place on February 8, 2026, and, just like in years past, people will not stop talking about the halftime show. For years, politics have slowly been seeping into the popular show that millions across the country tune in for, and this year is no different. With not only one but two different halftime shows, the political divisions are clearly strong this time around.

Before the big football game began, the pregame show already had people talking. Singers Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, and Coco James all performed before the Patriots and Seahawks faced off, but rock band Green Day was the headliner for this year’s pregame show. They kicked off the festivities by playing a medley from their 2004 hit album “American Idiot”. Their song “American Idiot” is known for expressing their disapproval of today’s political situation, which aligns with their usual critique of Trump and his administration.

However, the band decided to skip the entire second verse of the song, with lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong singing, “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda” instead of the normal “I’m not a part of the redneck agenda.” Many Green Day fans were upset with the band’s decision to not take the normal political stance. Nevertheless, the band has still made their opinions known, with Armstrong calling for all ICE agents to quit their jobs.

The dissent over Bad Bunny started long before his 13-minute-long performance. Prior to Super Bowl LX, the singer faced massive backlash for being chosen as the performer. Conservatives were upset that the entire performance would be in Spanish and incorrectly claimed that Bad Bunny is a “foreigner.” The singer is from Puerto Rico, which is a United States territory, and he told the media that the only thing people needed to know how to do for the show was how to dance.

Ultimately, tens of millions of people watched the Super Bowl LX halftime performance, and it was huge. There were dancers, fruit vendors, piragua sellers, boxers, a trademark Concho toad, a string section, a real-life wedding, flags of the hemisphere’s nations, and migrant workers. The Puerto Rican singer made it clear that he wanted to showcase symbols from his homeland, including a failing power line that represented the frequent blackouts that the territory faces. Special guests on the stage included Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, who sang with Bad Bunny.

Bad Bunny made several statements about the political division within the United States. On February 1, 2026, he received the Best Album Award at the Grammys. During his acceptance speech, he called for the end of ICE. One week later, Bad Bunny was seen on stage giving his Best Album Award to a young boy. Rumors swirled that the boy was supposed to represent a 5-year-old who had been detained by ICE. It was later discovered that he was simply supposed to represent a young Bad Bunny. However, critics had already added it to the list of things to critique the singer with. Despite what they may say, there was no explicit statement made by the singer as he did at the Grammys when he clearly said “ICE out.” Instead, his mantra of the day was “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

The critics are divided on his show. Some will say that he attempted to end the show on a note of unity, while others may claim that the entire performance was anti-American. In an article from CNN, the media company published that, “Bad Bunny rewrote what it means to be American in a time of strife.” On the other end, President Trump took to social media to say, “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.”

To really highlight the political divisions within the United States, Turning Point USA decided to have its own “All-American Halftime Show.” Founded by Charlie Kirk, Turning Point is a conservative organization whose mission is to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.” This halftime show was streamed on YouTube at the same time as the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. About five million people tuned into the livestream. This performance featured Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett with Kid Rock as the headliner. The show ended with a tribute to the recently killed Charlie Kirk.

Despite a good number of people watching this event, a lot is unknown about it. Tickets for the Turning Point USA Halftime Show were not made available to the public, and the organization did not share where the event was being held. USA TODAY reached out asking if the concert was prerecorded, but the non-profit organization never responded. Critics of the show said that it was “underwhelming” and criticized Kid Rock’s vocals. Celebrities outside of the show also expressed their disapproval or approval of the show on social media. Country singer Kacey Musgraves slammed Kid Rock, while social media influencer and boxer Jake Paul expressed his dislike for Bad Bunny prior to his performance. Noticeably, President Trump, a notable supporter of Turning Point USA, made no mention of their halftime show.