Jake Paul walks back criticism of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show

The influencer and boxer faced backlash for urging fans to avoid the Puerto Rican artist's performance due to his opposition to U.S. immigration policies.

Feb. 9, 2026 at 4:15pm

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Boxer and influencer Jake Paul initially criticized Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance, calling the Puerto Rican artist a "fake American" and urging his followers to avoid watching. However, Paul later walked back his comments, clarifying that he took issue with Bad Bunny's criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), not his Puerto Rican citizenship. Paul's comments were met with widespread backlash, including from his own brother Logan, who attended the game and defended Bad Bunny. Despite the criticism, Bad Bunny's halftime show was widely praised by viewers for its celebration of Latino culture and unifying message.

Why it matters

Jake Paul's initial comments about Bad Bunny sparked controversy and accusations of discrimination, highlighting ongoing debates around immigration, nationalism, and the representation of Latino artists and cultures in major events like the Super Bowl halftime show. The backlash Paul faced also underscores the power of public figures to shape narratives and the importance of carefully considering the implications of their statements.

The details

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of the Super Bowl, Jake Paul urged his followers to avoid watching Bad Bunny's halftime show performance, calling the Puerto Rican artist a "fake American" who "publicly hates America." Paul claimed Bad Bunny's criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was the reason for his opposition. However, Paul was quickly met with criticism, with many users pointing out the hypocrisy of his stance given that he and his brother Logan had moved to Puerto Rico in 2021 for tax purposes. Logan Paul, who attended the game, publicly disagreed with his brother's comments, stating that "Puerto Ricans are Americans." On Monday, Jake Paul attempted to clarify his initial remarks, stating that he took issue with Bad Bunny's "values and criticism of our great country," not his Puerto Rican citizenship.

  • On February 8, 2026, Jake Paul made his initial comments criticizing Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance.
  • On February 9, 2026, Jake Paul returned to X to clarify his earlier remarks about Bad Bunny.

The players

Jake Paul

An influencer and boxer who initially criticized Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance.

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican musician who performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, which drew criticism from Jake Paul and others for his opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Logan Paul

Jake Paul's brother, who attended the Super Bowl game and publicly disagreed with his brother's comments about Bad Bunny.

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What they’re saying

“Puerto Ricans are Americans & I'm happy they were given the opportunity to showcase the talent that comes from the island.”

— Logan Paul (X)

“The problem with my tweet is the word fake being misinterpreted he's not a fake citizen obviously bc hes Puerto Rican. Moreso Bunny is fake bc of his values and criticism of our great country.”

— Jake Paul (X)

The takeaway

Jake Paul's initial comments about Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance highlight ongoing debates around immigration, nationalism, and the representation of Latino artists and cultures in major events. The backlash Paul faced underscores the power of public figures to shape narratives and the importance of carefully considering the implications of their statements.