Bad Bunny’s presentation at halftime of the 2026 Super Bowl exceeded expectations and caused a wave of reactions on social networks, from effusive celebrations to intense criticism.
At the end of his 13-minute show, the Puerto Rican artist uttered two phrases that synthesized the central message of the night: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” and “Together, we are America.”
These words, broadcast before millions of viewers, closed a staging that brought together figures such as Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, followed with attention inside and outside the United States.
The avalanche of celebrity comments soon flooded digital platforms.
Kerry Washington, actress recognized for the series Scandal, turned to Threads to share her enthusiasm, calling the performance “the ultimate expression of love.”
Washington took up Bad Bunny’s reflection on the power of positive sentiment in the face of hate and reinforced the inclusive and hopeful nature of the message.
The singer Camila Cabello joined the shows of support from Instagram, where she published an excerpt from the show along with a message in Spanish: “Long live our beautiful Latin culture! Congratulations, Benito.”
Among the messages of institutional support, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, publicly thanked the musician with the phrase: “United States, beautiful. THANK YOU, BAD BUNNY.”
For his part, former American football player JJ Watt shared his impression of the event by admitting that he did not understand the lyrics of the songs, but emphasized: “It was a vibe.”
In the run-up to the Super Bowl, singer Jennifer Lopez, who headlined the halftime show in previous editions, sent signs of affection and support to Bad Bunny through X (formerly Twitter).
“Benito, I send you all the love, positivity and the biggest hug in the world,” he expressed from his official profile.”I am here with you in the same way that you were with me. Proud to be Puerto Rican. Hit it hard, Benito!”
Along the same lines, the world of entertainment also sent congratulations. Actor Adam Sandler, who shared a cast with Bad Bunny in the upcoming film Happy Gilmore 2, praised the show in statements to EntertainmentTonight.
The actor described him as “incredible” and added: “He was loose, happy, he made everyone happy. I loved him and congratulations to Bunny. He is a great person.”
Comedian Jimmy Fallon imitated the singer’s characteristic style and published a photo alluding to his Grammy-winning album, wearing a pava, a Puerto Rican hat made from “yarey” palm leaves.
On the other hand, the children’s character Elmo surprised his followers by writing: “That Bunny was AMAZING. Elmo thinks he should be called GoodBunny!”
However, the presentation also received questions.Former President Donald Trump spoke on Truth Social calling the show “absolutely terrible” and “disgusting.”
Trump objected to the use of Spanish and criticized the choreography, noting that it was not appropriate for minors following the broadcast.
Influencer Jake Paul also expressed his disagreement, urging his followers to turn off the television during the performance and suggesting that the artist’s participation corresponded to “a fake American citizen who publicly hates the United States.”
In contrast, his brother Logan Paul distanced himself from that position and defended the Puerto Rican presence at the event.
“Puerto Ricans are Americans and I am glad that they have had the opportunity to show the talent that comes from the island,” said the content creator.
The response from the music community included a comment from singer Kacey Musgraves, who, alluding to an alternative show headlined by Kid Rock, wrote: “That made me more proud to be an American than anything Kid Rock has ever done.”
Bad Bunny’s performance was distinguished both by its musical display and by its collaboration with international artists.
