MAGA's Cultural Dominance Fades After Super Bowl Backlash

A year after conservatives believed they were winning the culture war, the confidence has curdled into uncertainty.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A year ago, the conservative MAGA movement was experiencing a cultural resurgence, with figures like Donald Trump and Turning Point USA seen as driving a new cultural narrative. However, the reaction to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance in 2026 highlighted the fragility of this perceived dominance, as conservative commentators and politicians lashed out at what they saw as a threat to American culture. But even within the MAGA ecosystem, dissenting voices emerged, questioning the tone and substance of the backlash. The critique pointed to deeper unease within the movement, particularly following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in 2025, which left the organization struggling with internal conflicts and succession issues.

Why it matters

The Super Bowl halftime show backlash represents a turning point for the MAGA movement, which had previously believed it was winning the culture war. The reaction exposed the movement's vulnerability and inability to maintain its cultural relevance, raising questions about its long-term viability and the shifting political landscape among younger voters.

The details

Conservative commentators, political figures, and even the president had spent months framing Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance as a threat to American culture. The backlash included calls for boycotts, outrage segments, and the celebration of an alternative halftime broadcast by Turning Point USA designed as a patriotic counterweight. However, even within the MAGA ecosystem, dissenting voices emerged, with figures like Nick Fuentes and Christopher Rufo questioning the tone and substance of the outrage, dismissing it as "fake" and "overly political." The critique pointed to deeper unease within the movement, particularly following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in 2025, which left the organization struggling with internal conflicts and succession issues.

  • In May 2025, New York magazine argued the "anti-woke backlash" had "effectively won the culture war."
  • In September 2025, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated.
  • In February 2026, Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance drew 128.2 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched halftime shows in Super Bowl history.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who had been seen as driving a new cultural narrative for the MAGA movement.

Turning Point USA

A conservative organization that staged an alternative halftime broadcast as a patriotic counterweight to Bad Bunny's performance.

Charlie Kirk

The founder of Turning Point USA who was assassinated in September 2025, leaving the organization struggling with internal conflicts and succession issues.

Nick Fuentes

A far-right livestreamer and political commentator with a large online following of young men, who dismissed the conservative outrage over the Super Bowl halftime show as "fake" and "overly political."

Christopher Rufo

A conservative activist and journalist closely associated with culture-war campaigns, who pushed back against claims that the backlash represented a cultural victory for conservatives.

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What they’re saying

“If that's the best we have to offer, honestly, I'm switching sides.”

— Nick Fuentes, Far-right livestreamer and political commentator (Fuentes' livestream)

“The annual conservative outrage cycle over the Super Bowl halftime show has no impact on the NFL and makes conservatives look weak and left behind.”

— Christopher Rufo, Conservative activist and journalist (Social media)

What’s next

Preliminary data from early 2026 showed Trump's support among voters under 30 softening compared to late 2024 and early 2025, suggesting the youth shift that had fueled so much conservative confidence may be less durable than many had predicted.

The takeaway

The backlash to the Super Bowl halftime show highlighted the fragility of the MAGA movement's perceived cultural dominance, exposing deeper unease within the conservative ecosystem and raising questions about its long-term viability, particularly among younger voters.