SANTA CLARA, CA — On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the Super Bowl LX halftime show at Levi’s Stadium became a flashpoint for American cultural and political divisions. While global superstar Bad Bunny led the official NFL broadcast with a celebration of Puerto Rican heritage, conservative group Turning Point USA (TPUSA) launched a simultaneous “All-American Halftime Show” targeted at viewers boycotting the official act.
1. Bad Bunny’s Historical Headline Performance
Fresh off his historic Album of the Year win at the 2026 Grammys for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) delivered a 13-minute, all-Spanish set.
- The Spectacle: The stage was transformed into a miniature Puerto Rico, complete with sugar cane dancers, domino-playing “viejitos,” and a shaved-ice (piragua) stand.
- Star-Studded Cameos: The show featured Lady Gaga performing a Latin-style “Die With a Smile,” Ricky Martin, and appearances by Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, and Jessica Alba.
- Political Messaging: He ended with the screen flashing: “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE” and displayed a football with the phrase “Together We Are America.”
2. TPUSA’s “All-American” Counter-Programming
Turning Point USA positioned its show as a “faith, family, and freedom” alternative to the NFL’s choice.
- Viewership Surge: The TPUSA livestream garnered over 6 million views across platforms. The main YouTube channel saw 5 million simultaneous viewers, while Charlie Kirk’s channel added another million.
- The Lineup: Kid Rock headlined the event, joined by country stars Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.
- The “X” Pivot: Due to last-minute licensing restrictions, TPUSA was unable to stream on X (formerly Twitter) and redirected its audience to YouTube and Rumble.
3. The Viewership Duel: Bad Bunny vs. The Record
While official Nielsen ratings for Bad Bunny are still being calculated, the NFL aims to break the record set by Kendrick Lamar in 2025.
| Year | Headliner | Viewership (Millions) |
| 2024 | Usher | 123.4M |
| 2025 | Kendrick Lamar | 133.5M (Current Record) |
| 2026 | Bad Bunny | TBD (Est. 130M+) |
| 2026 | TPUSA (Kid Rock) | 6.4M (Livestream Total) |
4. Political Reaction: Trump Blasts “Terrible” Show
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social early Monday morning to pan the performance:
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible… Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting… a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country!”
Trump had previously labeled the choice of Bad Bunny and pregame act Green Day as “anti-American” and “terrible” in a February 3rd interview with The New York Post.