Tom Morello Mocks Kid Rock's Sparse Turning Point USA Halftime Show

The Rage Against the Machine guitarist sarcastically praised the conservative organization's alternative to the Super Bowl halftime performance.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Tom Morello, the Rage Against the Machine guitarist, mocked a video of Kid Rock performing at the Turning Point USA 'All-American Halftime Show' that was billed as an alternative to the Super Bowl halftime show. The video showed Kid Rock rapping in front of a sparse crowd, with the audience not responding when he signaled for them to wave their arms. Morello sarcastically tweeted 'America is finally great again' in response to the footage.

Why it matters

Morello's criticism of the Turning Point USA halftime show highlights the ongoing political divisions in the United States, with the conservative organization attempting to counter the Super Bowl halftime performance that featured the Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. Morello, a vocal progressive, used the opportunity to mock the conservative event and show his support for Bad Bunny's historic appearance.

The details

The video of Kid Rock's performance at the Turning Point USA event began circulating online, showing the musician rapping in front of a small audience that did not respond when he signaled for them to wave their arms. Morello reposted the clip on X (formerly Twitter) and sarcastically wrote 'America is finally great again,' referencing former President Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan. Turning Point USA had billed its halftime show as the 'All-American Halftime Show,' in contrast to the Super Bowl halftime show that featured Bad Bunny. Morello also expressed his support for Bad Bunny's performance and criticized the Turning Point USA event, sharing a message from country singer Zach Bryan who called the conservative organization's halftime show 'the most cringe s--t on the planet.'

  • The video of Kid Rock's Turning Point USA performance began circulating online on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Morello posted his sarcastic response to the video on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Tom Morello

The guitarist for the band Rage Against the Machine, known for his progressive political views and activism.

Kid Rock

An American musician who performed at the Turning Point USA 'All-American Halftime Show' as an alternative to the Super Bowl halftime performance.

Turning Point USA

A conservative non-profit organization that hosted the 'All-American Halftime Show' as an alternative to the Super Bowl halftime performance.

Bad Bunny

The Puerto Rican rapper who headlined the official Super Bowl halftime show in 2026.

Zach Bryan

A country music singer who criticized the Turning Point USA halftime show as 'the most cringe s--t on the planet.'

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What they’re saying

“America is finally great again. Thank you.”

— Tom Morello, Guitarist, Rage Against the Machine (X (formerly Twitter)

“If I was ever going to lip-synch, which I wouldn't, ['Bawitdaba'] would be the last song I would ever … do it to. The problem is people amplify this all over the internet … they do it far too often, especially in the fake news media, the left-wingers, crazy libt--ds.”

— Kid Rock (Kid Rock's social media)

“I don't care what side you're on, a bunch of adults throwing temper tantrums and their own halftime show is embarrassing as hell and the most cringe s--t on the planet.”

— Zach Bryan, Country Music Singer (Instagram)

The takeaway

Morello's mocking response to the Turning Point USA halftime show highlights the ongoing political tensions in the US, with progressive artists like Morello using their platforms to criticize conservative events and show support for more inclusive and diverse cultural moments like Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance.