COLUMN: When Bad Bunny Shakes Trump’s America

An Unprecedented Protest Movement

The weekend before the Grammy Awards, more than 300 anti-ICE protests took place across the United States. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C., Tucson, San Francisco, and dozens of other cities. The slogans “Abolish ICE!” and “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist U.S.A.!” echoed from one end of the country to the other. A national general strike was also organized on Friday, January 31, 2026, bringing certain economic sectors to a standstill.

I remember watching the images of these protests scroll across my screen. Entire families. Students. Workers. Ordinary people saying no. No to fear. No to dehumanization. No to a system that treats human beings like criminals simply because they’re seeking a better life. And I wondered: How much longer before this anger turns into something bigger, something more uncontrollable?

Minneapolis, the Epicenter of the Tragedy

The protests took on particular intensity in Minneapolis, where two American citizens were killed by federal agents in less than three weeks. These deaths shocked the country and fueled anger against ICE operations. The arrest of a five-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father also sparked a wave of national outrage. Students organized walkouts in several states, despite threats of disciplinary action from school authorities in Texas.

From Supermarket Cashier to the Voice of a Generation

In 2016, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—his real name—was working as a cashier at a supermarket in Puerto Rico. Today, under the name Bad Bunny, he is the most-streamed artist in the world. But what sets him apart isn’t just his commercial success. It’s his unwavering political commitment. He has used his platform to defend LGBTQ+ rights, to support Puerto Rico’s self-determination, and to denounce Trump’s immigration policies since the president’s first term.

There is something deeply moving about Bad Bunny’s journey. He is not an artist who became politically active to sell more records or to appeal to a progressive audience. He is someone who has always remained true to his values, even when it would have been easier to stay silent. And in a music industry where so many artists carefully avoid any controversy, that integrity touches my heart.

A World Tour Without the United States

For his latest world tour, Bad Bunny made a radical decision: no dates in the continental United States. Instead, he organized a two-month residency in Puerto Rico, drawing thousands of fans from around the world to the island and injecting millions of dollars into the local economy. His reason? The fear that ICE agents would be waiting for his fans as they left his concerts. “People from the United States could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans from the United States could also travel here—or anywhere in the world,” he explained to i-D magazine in September 2025.

Barely Veiled Threats

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that ICE agents would be “everywhere” at the Super Bowl. “I think people shouldn’t come to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country,” she said. Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager and current advisor to the Department of Homeland Security, added: “There is nowhere you can offer sanctuary to people who are in this country illegally. Not at the Super Bowl, and not anywhere else.”

Read those words carefully. Read them again. Government officials are openly threatening to turn the country’s biggest sporting event into a police operation. They’re turning a moment of celebration into an instrument of terror. And they’re doing it shamelessly, without restraint, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. It makes my blood run cold.

Trump Boycotts the Super Bowl

Donald Trump announced that he would not be attending the Super Bowl, claiming it was “too far away.” But he didn’t miss the chance to comment on the choice of performers: “I’m against them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred.” ” He was referring to Bad Bunny and the punk band Green Day, who will also perform during the halftime show and who have also publicly criticized the president.

Hurricane Maria and Washington’s Neglect

To understand Bad Bunny’s anger, we must go back to September 2017. Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, killing approximately 3,000 people and causing $90 billion in damage. The Trump administration’s response was widely criticized as inadequate and too slow. Bad Bunny then accused officials of abandoning the island and failing to provide adequate aid to residents—who are U.S. citizens but do not have the right to vote and are not represented in Congress.

Puerto Rico. This magnificent island, these resilient people, treated as second-class citizens by their own country. Bad Bunny hasn’t forgotten. He can’t forget. And when he takes the stage with a Puerto Rican flag, it’s not just a prop. It’s a painful reminder that America owes a debt to Puerto Rico—a debt it refuses to acknowledge.

A symbol of pride and resistance

In the music video for his song “NUEVAYoL,” released on July 4, 2025, Bad Bunny shows a Puerto Rican flag hanging from the crown of the Statue of Liberty in New York. In another scene, a group of men listens to a radio broadcast featuring what sounds like the president’s voice saying, “I made a mistake.” I want to apologize to the immigrants in America… I mean, this country is nothing without immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, and Cubans.”

A Strategic and Risky Choice

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the choice of Bad Bunny during a press conference the day after the Grammy Awards. “Bad Bunny is—and I think this was demonstrated last night—one of the world’s greatest artists, and that’s one of the reasons we chose him,” he said. “But the other reason is that he understood the platform he was on and that this platform serves to unite people and bring them together through their creativity and their talents.”

Goodell is walking a tightrope. On one hand, the NFL wants to attract the Latino audience, which represents a huge and growing market. On the other, it doesn’t want to alienate its traditional conservative base. But by choosing Bad Bunny, the league took a gamble—a gamble that diversity and inclusion are worth more than the approval of conservatives. And frankly, I think that’s courageous.

A Global Expansion Strategy

The choice of Bad Bunny is part of a broader NFL strategy to expand its global reach. The league hosts exhibition games in London and Mexico and is actively seeking to attract new audiences. Bad Bunny, who sings primarily in Spanish and has a massive global fan base, represents a unique opportunity for the NFL to connect with millions of people who don’t traditionally follow American football.

What will happen on stage?

At a press conference on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Bad Bunny hinted that his performance would focus on unity and healing rather than division. “I know the world is going to be happy this Sunday, and they’re going to have fun, and they’re going to dance, and they’re going to have a great time,” he said. “I really want people to have fun. It’s going to be a huge party. I want to bring what people have always come to expect from me, and a lot of my culture.”

But can culture really be separated from politics? Can we celebrate Puerto Rican culture without acknowledging the injustices faced by Puerto Ricans? Can we dance to songs about immigration without thinking about separated families, detained children, and shattered lives? I don’t think so. And I don’t think Bad Bunny does either.

Symbols That Speak Louder Than Words

Experts expect Bad Bunny to use powerful visual symbols during his performance. Many anticipate the appearance of “La Casita,” a salmon-colored structure designed to resemble a traditional Puerto Rican home, which was featured during his world tour. Simply singing some of his songs—such as “NUEVAYoL” or tracks from his Grammy-winning album—will in itself be a political act, according to analysts.

A Deeply Divided Nation

The debate surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance reveals a deep divide in American society. On one hand, millions of people see him as a symbol of hope, diversity, and resistance in the face of oppression. On the other, millions more view him as a threat to traditional American values and a provocateur who uses his platform to sow division. This polarization reflects broader tensions over national identity, immigration, and the place of minorities in American society.

We are at a turning point—not just for America, but for the very idea of what it means to be American. Bad Bunny, whether you love him or hate him, is forcing the country to look in the mirror. And what we see isn’t always pretty. But maybe that’s exactly what we need. An uncomfortable moment of truth that forces us to choose what kind of country we want to be.

Beyond the Show

Regardless of the nature of his performance, Bad Bunny has already achieved something significant: he has turned the Super Bowl into a national conversation about immigration, identity, and American values. He has forced millions of people to reflect on issues they might have preferred to ignore. And he has shown that an artist can use his platform not only to entertain, but also to challenge, to provoke, and to inspire change.

A Moment That Will Transcend Sports

February 8, 2026, will be remembered, no matter what happens on the field or on stage. This Super Bowl has become much more than a sporting event. It has become a symbol of the struggle for the soul of America. Bad Bunny, with his music, his culture, and his convictions, represents a vision of America that embraces diversity, celebrates immigrants, and recognizes that the country’s strength lies in its pluralism. Standing against him is an administration that wants to return to a more homogeneous, more closed-off, and more exclusive America.

I don’t know what will happen on Sunday night. I don’t know if Bad Bunny will make an explicit political statement or if he’ll let his music and his presence speak for him. But I know one thing: this moment matters. It matters because it reminds us that culture has power—the power to unite, to divide, to transform. And in a time when everything seems so bleak, so hopeless, I need to believe that this power can still make a difference. I need to believe that the voice of a former supermarket cashier from Puerto Rico can resonate loud enough to shake the foundations of an empire. Because if that isn’t enough, then what is?

The Legacy of a Performance Yet to Be Performed

No matter what happens during the halftime show, Bad Bunny has already left his mark. He has shown that being the first Latino solo artist to perform at the Super Bowl isn’t just an honor—it’s a responsibility. A responsibility to represent his culture with dignity, to stand up for those without a voice, and to refuse to be intimidated by threats or criticism. And in a country where Latinos are often marginalized, stereotyped, or ignored, this representation matters immensely. It tells young Latinos: You belong here. Your culture is valuable. Your voice deserves to be heard.

Signed, Jacques Provost