In a move that instantly ignited national controversy, California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly praised Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance and proclaimed the day of the game “Bad Bunny Day” across the state — a symbolic celebration of the Puerto Rican superstar’s Latin roots and cultural influence.
Hours after the high-energy set concluded, Newsom posted on X:
“America, the beautiful. Thank you, Bad Bunny.”
“America, the beautiful. Thank you, Bad Bunny.”
The governor attached a photo of Bad Bunny holding a football emblazoned with the message “Together, we are American,” a clear nod to the artist’s closing line during the broadcast: “Mi Patria Puerto Rico, seguimos aquí” (“My homeland Puerto Rico, we are still here”). Newsom followed with an official proclamation declaring February 9, 2026 — Super Bowl Sunday — as “Bad Bunny Day” in California, citing the performer’s “global impact, representation of Puerto Rican pride, and embodiment of the American dream through resilience, creativity, and cultural fusion.”
The halftime show itself was a spectacle: Bad Bunny delivered a 13-minute performance blending reggaeton, trap, and salsa influences, joined by surprise guests Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The set featured elaborate choreography, Puerto Rican flag imagery, and a closing tribute to the island that drew both thunderous applause from the stadium crowd and polarized reactions online.
President Donald Trump, watching from Mar-a-Lago, was quick to criticize. In a Truth Social post shortly after the broadcast, Trump wrote: “Bad Bunny’s halftime show was absolutely terrible. Weak music, weak message, weak everything. America deserves better than this woke nonsense on our biggest stage.”
Newsom’s enthusiastic endorsement — and the formal “Bad Bunny Day” declaration — drew immediate backlash from conservative commentators and Republican lawmakers. Fox News host Jesse Watters called it “another example of Newsom prioritizing identity politics over everyday Californians struggling with $8 gas and record homelessness.” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) posted on X: “Gavin Newsom just made February 9 a holiday for a guy who said ‘ICE out’ on live TV. California is lost.”
Progressive voices and Latino advocacy groups, however, celebrated the move. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) issued a statement praising Newsom: “Governor Newsom recognizes what millions already know: Bad Bunny’s success is the American story — an immigrant-rooted artist rising to the top through talent and determination. Honoring him is honoring the diversity that makes California strong.”
The declaration is largely symbolic — California does not have the authority to create official state holidays without legislative approval — but it carries significant cultural weight. Newsom’s office confirmed the proclamation includes no new funding or closures but encourages schools, municipalities, and cultural institutions to recognize Bad Bunny’s contribution to music and Puerto Rican heritage.
Bad Bunny has not yet commented publicly on Newsom’s praise or the “Bad Bunny Day” designation. His team released a short statement after the performance: “Thank you to everyone who watched, danced, and felt represented tonight. Puerto Rico is still here — and so is our music.”
The episode underscores the deepening cultural and political divide in the wake of the halftime show. While viewership numbers shattered records (over 115 million average viewers), reactions remain sharply split along ideological lines — with Trump’s condemnation and Newsom’s celebration serving as bookends to a performance that was never just about music.
For California, already under fire for high taxes, business exodus, and energy crises, Newsom’s embrace of Bad Bunny is another flashpoint in the ongoing battle over identity, representation, and what it means to be “American” in 2026.
Whether “Bad Bunny Day” becomes a lasting cultural footnote or the start of broader recognition for Puerto Rican artists remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain: the Super Bowl halftime show is no longer just entertainment.
It’s a battleground.And Gavin Newsom just picked a side.
It’s a battleground.And Gavin Newsom just picked a side.
