Trump Prefers Kid Rock Over Bad Bunny for Super Bowl Halftime Show

White House press secretary says president would choose 'All-American' performance over official halftime act

Feb. 6, 2026 at 2:15am

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that President Donald Trump would prefer to watch the Turning Point USA-sponsored 'All-American' halftime show featuring Kid Rock over the official Super Bowl halftime performance by Grammy winner Bad Bunny. Leavitt cited concerns among conservatives over Bad Bunny's 'woke' values as the reason for Trump's preference.

Why it matters

The Super Bowl halftime show is one of the most watched television events of the year, and the choice of performers has become a politically charged issue. Trump's reported preference for Kid Rock over Bad Bunny reflects the ongoing cultural and political divisions in the country, with conservatives criticizing the NFL's selection of artists they view as promoting a 'woke' agenda.

The details

Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a conservative youth organization, is planning its own 'All-American' halftime show on Sunday featuring country/rock artist Kid Rock. Leavitt suggested that Trump would be tuning in to watch the TPUSA event rather than the official NFL halftime show with Bad Bunny. The NFL has defended its choice of Bad Bunny, with Commissioner Roger Goodell stating that the artist understands the platform and will use it to 'unite people' with his 'creativity' and 'talents'.

  • The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 9, 2026.

The players

Karoline Leavitt

The White House press secretary who revealed President Trump's preference for the Kid Rock halftime show over Bad Bunny's performance.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who Leavitt says would prefer to watch the 'All-American' halftime show featuring Kid Rock over the official NFL performance by Bad Bunny.

Bad Bunny

The Grammy Award-winning artist who is scheduled to perform during the official Super Bowl halftime show in Santa Clara, California.

Kid Rock

The country/rock artist who will headline the 'All-American' halftime show organized by Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization.

Roger Goodell

The NFL Commissioner who defended the league's choice of Bad Bunny for the halftime show, stating that the artist understands the platform and will use it to 'unite people'.

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What they’re saying

“I think the president would much prefer a Kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny. I must say that.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary

“The president has wisely chosen not to make a prediction on Sunday night's game, but as a native girl from New Hampshire, go Patriots.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary

“Listen, Bad Bunny is, and I think that was demonstrated last night, 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, and this platform is used 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. And I think artists in the past have done that.”

— Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner

What’s next

The outcome of the Super Bowl halftime show controversy and whether Trump's preferred 'All-American' performance by Kid Rock will gain traction remains to be seen.

The takeaway

The debate over the Super Bowl halftime show reflects the ongoing political and cultural divisions in the country, with conservatives criticizing the NFL's choice of artists they view as promoting a 'woke' agenda. This issue highlights the increasing politicization of major sporting events and the challenges the league faces in navigating these sensitive issues.