Turning Point USA Announces 'All-American Halftime Show' to Compete with Bad Bunny at Super Bowl LIX

Erika Kirk says the alternative show will 'honor' her late husband Charlie Kirk's 'culture war' efforts.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 5:55pm

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Erika Kirk, the CEO of Turning Point USA, announced the organization's 'All-American Halftime Show' that will take place during the Super Bowl LIX halftime show featuring Bad Bunny. Kirk says the alternative show is meant to honor her late husband, Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, and his efforts in the 'culture war'. The lineup for the 'All-American Halftime Show' includes Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.

Why it matters

The decision to have an alternative halftime show to compete with Bad Bunny's performance highlights the ongoing political and cultural divisions in the U.S. Turning Point USA, a right-wing conservative organization, is positioning its show as a pro-America alternative to Bad Bunny, who has been criticized by some as being un-American due to his Puerto Rican heritage and primarily Spanish-language music.

The details

Turning Point USA announced the 'All-American Halftime Show' last fall after backlash over Bad Bunny being selected as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show performer. The alternative show will take place on Sunday, February 8, during Bad Bunny's set at Super Bowl LIX in Santa Clara, California. Erika Kirk, the CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband Charlie Kirk's death in 2025, says the show is meant to 'honor' her late husband's efforts in the 'culture war'.

  • Turning Point USA announced the 'All-American Halftime Show' last fall.
  • The alternative halftime show will take place on Sunday, February 8, 2026 during Bad Bunny's set at Super Bowl LIX in Santa Clara, California.

The players

Erika Kirk

The CEO of Turning Point USA after the death of her husband, Charlie Kirk, in 2025.

Charlie Kirk

The founder of Turning Point USA, a right-wing conservative organization, who passed away in September 2025.

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican musician who was announced as the performer for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, sparking backlash from some critics who claimed he is un-American.

Roger Goodell

The NFL Commissioner who praised Bad Bunny's selection for the Super Bowl halftime show, saying he will use the platform to 'unite people'.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. President who criticized the NFL's decision to select Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show, calling it 'crazy'.

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What they’re saying

“It's powerful because what Charlie always loved and knew is that he wanted to be in the forefront of the culture war. He would be fist-pumping at this. He would be so stoked. And what better way to honor him than to just get in the middle of this and be able to offer an alternative to families.”

— Erika Kirk, CEO, Turning Point USA (Fox News)

“Bad Bunny, I think that was demonstrated last night, is one of the great artists in the world, and that's one of the reasons we chose him. But the other reason is he understood the platform he was on. This platform is to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talents, and to be able to use this moment to do that. I think artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that and I think he'll have a great performance.”

— Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner (Fox News)

“I never heard of him. I don't know who he is, I don't know why they're doing it — it's crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter that they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it's absolutely ridiculous.”

— Donald Trump (Newsmax)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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