On a recent Saturday night, the global reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny stood on the famed Studio 8H stage and delivered a message that instantly set America’s culture wars ablaze. During his Saturday Night Live monologue on October 4, 2025, he smiled and told viewers, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn,” referencing his upcoming headlining performance at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. The comment, delivered partly in Spanish, was meant as a playful nudge. But it landed like a thunderclap—especially among conservative commentators and politicians, who saw it as a provocation in the heart of a national ritual.
Within hours, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) condemned Bad Bunny’s remarks and the halftime show itself as “perverse” and “unwanted.” Taking to X, Greene declared, “Bad Bunny says America has 4 months to learn Spanish before his perverse unwanted performance at the Super Bowl halftime. It would be a good time to pass my bill to make English the official language of America. And the NFL needs to stop having demonic sexual performances during its halftime shows.” According to Latin Times, Greene’s statement reignited attention to her English Language Unity Act of 2025, a bill she introduced in March and which has the endorsement of former President Trump. The bill would make English the official language of the United States, require all government functions and naturalization ceremonies to be conducted in English, and mandate that citizenship applicants demonstrate the ability to read and understand the nation’s founding documents.
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is set to take center stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026. The booking is not just a nod to his musical dominance—he is, after all, the world’s most-streamed male artist—but also a recognition of the changing face of American culture. His 31-show residency in Puerto Rico generated nearly $700 million for the island’s economy, according to Newsweek, and his influence stretches well beyond music. As a Puerto Rican, Bad Bunny is an American citizen, yet his embrace of Spanish and his outspoken stances on immigration, Puerto Rican independence, and American colonialism have made him a lightning rod in today’s polarized climate.
The backlash didn’t stop with Greene. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem promised that ICE agents would be “all over” the NFL championship game, which is being held just outside San Francisco. On Fox News, commentator Tomi Lahren accused Bad Bunny of hating “America, President Trump, and the English language.” Even President Trump himself weighed in, calling the NFL’s choice “absolutely ridiculous,” before admitting he’d never heard of the artist. The controversy, as Newsweek pointed out, is about more than language. It’s about a sense of cultural replacement—a fear that something foundational is slipping away.
“If you’re thinking about music culture right now, he’s at the top of the summit,” said Amílcar Barreto, a political science professor at Northeastern University, in an interview with Newsweek. “But by doing it in Spanish, he’s challenging the idea that English is the only legitimate language in American life. That’s why it reads like a provocation—it’s not just music.” Barreto’s observation highlights the symbolic weight of Bad Bunny’s halftime show. For some, it’s a dare; for others, it’s a confirmation that America’s soundscape is evolving.
The numbers back up that sentiment. Latinos now comprise nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population, and more than 43 million Americans speak Spanish at home. Yet, even as Spanish grows in everyday life, more than 30 states have English-only laws on the books, the legacy of decades of legislative efforts to codify English as the national language. These movements, often backed by groups like U.S. English and ProEnglish, peaked in the 1980s and ’90s but have struggled to gain traction at the federal level. The United States, notably, has never had an official language.
For conservative voices, the symbolism of a Spanish-language halftime show at the Super Bowl is personal. “White liberals…explode with cheers over the replacement of their own culture,” wrote activist Drew Pavlou on X, labeling the announcement “a slap in the face” to traditional American identity. This reaction, as Newsweek notes, is animated by anxieties over “replacement theory”—the fear that the country’s cultural core is being supplanted.
But for millions of Americans—especially those who are bilingual or bicultural—Bad Bunny’s performance is a celebration of their place in the national story. As he said during his SNL monologue, switching between languages, “I’m very happy. And I think everyone is happy about it—even Fox News.” He went on to thank Latinos “who have worked to open doors” in the U.S., adding, “no one will ever be able to erase our contribution to this country.”
Bad Bunny’s popularity comes at a time when, for many Latinos, speaking Spanish in public can feel risky. Since the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on racial profiling by ICE in September, some Latino citizens—both natural-born and naturalized—have reported carrying their passports and adjusting how they speak in public. Bad Bunny himself refused to tour the continental U.S. after his latest album shattered streaming records, citing fears for his fans’ safety amid intensified ICE crackdowns. Instead, he staged his record-breaking residency in Puerto Rico, livestreamed by Amazon and timed to coincide with the anniversary of Hurricane Maria—a storm that devastated the territory during Trump’s first term.
For the NFL, the decision to book Bad Bunny is less about politics and more about business. The median NFL viewer in 2023 was 50 years old, and the league is keen to attract younger, more diverse fans. Latinos already account for a growing share of NFL viewers, with 39 million tuning in annually. As Brandon Ross, a media analyst at LightShed Partners, told Newsweek, “It’s a smart move. The NFL knows that music can expand its audience in ways the game alone can’t.” The league is also expanding internationally, with games in London, Munich, Mexico City, and soon São Paulo and Madrid.
Super Bowl ads now cost more than $7 million per 30 seconds, making the event a marketing goldmine for brands seeking younger, more diverse audiences. For the NFL, a reggaeton superstar with global clout is less a controversy than an opportunity. And while critics may decry the halftime show as a political statement, the league’s bet is simple: people might not like it, but they’ll still watch—whether to celebrate, to complain, or just to see what happens when America’s biggest TV event briefly goes Spanish.
As the countdown to Super Bowl LX continues, one thing is certain: the halftime show will be more than a musical performance. It will be a flashpoint in an ongoing debate about language, identity, and what it means to be American. The NFL and Bad Bunny are betting that, whatever the outcome, the country will be tuning in.
