Speaker Mike Johnson has revealed who he wants to replace Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny during the Super Bowl LX halftime show — and his choice would make President Donald Trump very happy.
Johnson described Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, as a “terrible” choice for the major sports event.
“I didn’t even know who Bad Bunny was, but it sounds like a terrible decision in my view,” Johnson told an influencer, Pablo Manriquez.
He went on to suggest that the rapper should be replaced by Lee Greenwood, a country music star whose song “God Bless the USA” has become a Trump, and hence MAGA, anthem in recent years.
Johnson, whose opinions and actions rarely stray from those mandated by Trump, went so far as to claim that Bad Bunny, who has sold over 111.9 million records worldwide, would not be as popular as Greenwood, who has sold 25 million albums.
“It sounds like [Bad Bunny’s] not someone who appeals to a broader audience,” Johnson said. “And, there are so many eyes on the Super Bowl, a lot of young and impressionable children and, I think, in my view, you would have to be Greenwood, role models, doing that.”
Donald Trump has hit out at Bad Bunny being chosen for the halftime performance, saying that the King of Latin Trap “does not seem like a unifying entertainer.” Speaking on Greg Kelly Reports on Newsmax, Trump also claimed that “a lot of folks don’t even know who he is.”
Kelly also weighed in by claiming that Bad Bunny “hates ICE” and “accuses everything he doesn’t like of racism.”
And Johnson has during hisntenure as speaker of the House been a staunch Trump loyalist, acting more as an echo of White House policy than a check on the executive branch. In July, for example, the speaker ended the House session early to block a vote on releasing the government’s files on Jeffrey Epstein, something Trump has decried as a Democratic Party ‘hoax.’
Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s announcement has been widely viewed as a significant milestone for Latin music on the world stage.
When the singer appeared on Saturday Night Live last week, he thanked the performers who worked to “open doors” for him to be able to perform at Super Bowl LX.
“All Latinos and Latinas across the world, and here in the United States, all the people who have worked to open doors... More than an achievement of mine, it’s an achievement of everyone,” he said, speaking in Spanish.
Afterwards, he switched to English and joked that the audience has “four months” to learn the language before he takes to the stage.
Following his appearance on SNL, George Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene branded his upcoming performance as “perverse” and called on Congress to pass her bill, which would make English the official language of the USA.
The Trump administration has threatened to station ICE agents at the Super Bowl, with Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, saying that immigration officers will be “all over” the event.
Bad Bunny has previously stated that he will not perform in the US on his upcoming tour due to concerns about federal agents potentially arresting people at his shows. In June, he posted a story on Instagram that described ICE agents as “sons of b*****s” who will not leave “people alone.”
However, there has been a surge of support for the rapper from fans and celebrities, with Jennifer Lopez telling the Today Show that Bad Bunny will “blow everyone’s minds.”
“He puts on a great show. He’s a great entertainer,” Lopez said. “I’m super excited for people to see him who think that, because I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised because his music transcends language. It’s amazing what he’s done.”
