Entertainment09 February, 20262 min read
Bad Bunny Brings Lady Gaga Onstage, Performs Almost Entirely in Spanish at Star-Studded Super Bowl Halftime
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Bad Bunny performed a largely Spanish-language halftime set highlighting his Puerto Rican heritage. Bad Bunny brought Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and Cardi B onstage during the halftime show.
11 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Avianca Flight 42 Diverts to Miami After Severe Turbulence Injures Eight Passengers →
Bad Bunny Super Bowl Recap
Bad Bunny headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show in Santa Clara with a high-energy, largely Spanish set that foregrounded Puerto Rican imagery and a message of unity. Reports described the performance as theatrical and reggaetón-infused, opening on Puerto Rican scenes and running through hits including "Titi Me Pregunto," "Perreo Sola" (with a rooftop stunt), Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina," and material from his Grammy-winning album Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Multiple outlets noted Bad Bunny expanded a traditional patriotic moment by adding flags from across the Americas and closed with a unifying sentiment he captured in his tweet: "Lo único más poderoso que el odio, es el amor."
“Bad Bunny headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in Santa Clara, California, joined by Lady Gaga for a high‑energy, nearly all‑Spanish set celebrating his Puerto Rican heritage and a message of unity.”
Halftime show highlights
The halftime show featured a string of high-profile cameos and theatrical moments. Lady Gaga joined Bad Bunny, reportedly singing a salsa version of a Bruno Mars collaboration. Ricky Martin performed a song tied to Puerto Rican autonomy.
Other reported appearances included Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Cardi B, Karol G and influencer Alix Earle. The stage featured striking imagery — at one point described as an altar when a couple tied the knot — and quick set pieces like a casita rooftop that Bad Bunny used for a dramatic entrance and exit during "Perreo Sola".
Political backlash over halftime show
The show prompted immediate political backlash from former President Donald Trump, who skipped the game to attend a Florida watch party. He used his Truth Social platform to denounce the performance.
“President Trump skipped the Super Bowl to attend a Florida watch party and criticized Bad Bunny’s halftime show on Truth Social, calling it ‘a slap in the face,’ ‘absolutely terrible’ and saying ‘nobody understands a word.’”
Trump's comments called the set "a slap in the face" and "absolutely terrible," and some outlets recorded even stronger language including "one of the worst EVER" and objections to choreography he described as "disgusting" and inappropriate for children. Other coverage situates Trump's reaction in a longer rift tied to Bad Bunny's previous criticisms of his immigration policies.
Halftime protests and representation
More than 200 demonstrators gathered outside Levi's Stadium to protest Trump's immigration policies, waving Mexican and Puerto Rican flags, chanting against ICE, and watching Bad Bunny's set from higher ground or on their phones.
Several outlets linked the political reaction to the artist's prior activism, including public comments at the Grammys, and noted that booking a predominantly Spanish set became a flashpoint in debates over representation, language, and the mainstreaming of bilingual storytelling.
Reactions to Bad Bunny's set
Reactions after the show were mixed. Many online clips and commentators praised the energy, the celebration of Latin culture, and the mainstreaming of Spanish-first storytelling. Critics and political figures framed it as out of step with their view of American values.
“Spanish‑first and bilingual storytelling has gone mainstream alongside the growing influence of Latino voters.”
Outlets noted both the widespread online praise and the culture-war backlash. Several outlets emphasized that Bad Bunny focused on togetherness during the set rather than directly engaging with political opponents. He closed by tweeting that love is more powerful than hate and by standing with flags from across the Americas.
