The MAGA Crowd is Losing It Over Bad Bunny Sitting During ‘God Bless America’—But Here’s Where It Gets Controversial... Photos of Bad Bunny, the renowned Latin artist slated to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, sitting quietly while "God Bless America" was played at a New York Yankees game have ignited a firestorm among Donald Trump’s MAGA supporters. The singer chose not to stand during the traditional seventh-inning stretch as the Yankees faced the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, sparking outrage among many conservatives online.
Bad Bunny, a Grammy Award winner and U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico, primarily performs in Spanish and notably left the contiguous U.S. off his recent world tour schedule. This decision, coupled with his recent high-profile Super Bowl LV performance and vocal criticism of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, has only fueled the backlash. But this is the part most people miss: his seated stance has become a symbol in a culture war over patriotism, identity, and what it means to honor America.
Leading the charge on Twitter, far-right commentator Tomi Lahren accused Bad Bunny of harboring "clear disdain for America," bluntly calling him an "a-hole." Jack Posobiec, another prominent conservative voice, shared a story from a right-wing media site branding the singer’s choice to sit as a blatant sign of disrespect. Comments flowed in, including one questioning why the NFL would allow what they called a "commie" to perform at the Super Bowl, and another mocking Bad Bunny as a "cartoon rabbit," implying his presence was an insult to American viewers.
This backlash hasn’t stayed on social media—it’s reached political leaders. Former President Donald Trump expressed disbelief that he had never heard of Bad Bunny, despite the artist's massive global streaming numbers, and called the NFL's decision to feature him as the halftime act "absolutely ridiculous." House Speaker Mike Johnson weighed in, dismissing the choice as "terrible" and suggesting 82-year-old country singer Lee Greenwood as a more fitting alternative.
But Bad Bunny isn’t just ignoring the critics—he’s embracing the controversy with a message. During a recent Saturday Night Live appearance, he spoke in Spanish about the invaluable contributions Latinos have made to the United States, adding with a sly smile, "If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn."
Here’s a deeper context many miss: Bad Bunny recently revealed to i-D magazine that he purposely avoided performing in the mainland U.S. during his 54-date world tour due to concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids potentially targeting his fans. Highlighting the fear that many Latino and Puerto Rican U.S. citizens live with, he said, "It was something we were very concerned about—f---ing ICE could be outside [my concert]."
So the controversy isn’t just about a simple moment of sitting versus standing. It’s wrapped up in the broader conversations about identity, belonging, and political division in America today.
What do you think—does Bad Bunny’s choice represent a respectful political statement, or is it disrespectful to national traditions? Is this controversy a reflection of deeper cultural divides? Sound off in the comments below and join the debate.
