The National Football League Stands Firm on Bad Bunny Halftime Show Appearance Amid Trump Backlash

The NFL will not drop the global music icon as the headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show, League chief Roger Goodell announced this week.

In doing so, Goodell reaffirmed the decision to feature the Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage, a move that sparked negative reactions from the former president and his political base.

Goodell commented on the controversy during his media briefing following the league's autumn gathering. This marks the first time he has publicly remarked on the selection, which has garnered global interest, including a surge in online plays of Bad Bunny’s music alongside opposition.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell remarked. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an performer where we didn’t have pushback or criticism. It’s challenging to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people tuning in.”

The reggaeton star, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of the former leader. He recently decided to do a 31-day residency in his homeland, avoiding performances in the continental United States, referencing concerns about the mass deportation of Hispanic individuals.

The 31-year-old, who sings in Spanish, is expected to do so at the big game.

“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” Goodell said. “He is aware of the platform that he’s on, and in my view it’s going to be thrilling and a united moment.”

The San Francisco 49ers are staging the championship game on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if the former president plans to attend, though he has turned physical attendance at major sporting events a key aspect of his current presidency.

Trump in an interview on right-leaning media Newsmax claimed he had “no knowledge of” the performer.

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It seems absurd. And then, they blame it on some promoter they contracted to pick up talent. In my opinion it’s completely unreasonable.”

The commissioner defended the choice on Wednesday, clarifying it was made because of the artist’s massive fanbase.

“He’s one of the leading and most popular performers in the world,” Goodell said. “This is exactly what we try to achieve. It represents a crucial platform for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”