Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday he thinks it was a “terrible decision” for the NFL to tap Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February.
“I didn’t even know who Bad Bunny was, but it sounds like a terrible decision, in my view,” Johnson told a reporter, when asked for his thoughts on the controversial selection.
Johnson suggested a more suitable choice would have been Lee Greenwood, the country singer known for his patriotic anthem, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” which has remained a staple at political rallies for President Trump.
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“Well, it sounds like he’s not someone who appeals to a broader audience,” Johnson said, when asked to explain why he thinks the NFL made a bad choice.
“There are so many eyes on the Super Bowl — a lot of young, impressionable children — and I think, in my view, you would have Lee Greenwood or role models doing that,” he said. “Not somebody like this.”
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is one of the most popular and accomplished musicians in the world today. He ranks alongside Taylor Swift and country music standout Morgan Wallen as one of the industry’s most-streamed artists globally.
His music is particularly popular in Spanish-speaking countries and among Spanish speakers in the United States.
But his selection as the Super Bowl’s headliner has sparked a fierce backlash among conservatives and Trump supporters, who see the choice as the NFL trying to pick a fight with the president and MAGA Republicans.
The recording artist has a history of speaking out against President Trump and has said he would not tour in the mainland U.S. over concerns his fans could be targeted by federal immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration has threatened to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to the Super Bowl in California, and several leading MAGA figures have complained about Bad Bunny’s political positions.