The Super Bowl has never existed in a vacuum. It’s football, yes, but it’s also culture, spectacle, and much more. This February, as Super Bowl 60 heads to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., one familiar entity will be notably absent: President Donald Trump, who has confirmed he won’t be attending the game.
Jon Barker on Why Bad Bunny Is The Right Artist for Super Bowl Despite Criticism From Donald Trump
While Donald Trump’s decision was made because the cross-country flight from Washington, D.C., paired with the security and coordination required for a sitting president, was not feasible, there is another reason the president might not have been keen on attending.
The NFL announced three-time Grammy winner Bad Bunny as the halftime show headliner in September. Trump has been vocal in his disapproval, saying of the artist: “I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, has previously spoken out against the Trump administration’s immigration policies and once avoided touring the continental United States over fears that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids could put fans at risk.
READ MORE: Top 100 2026 NFL Free Agent Rankings
Nevertheless, according to NFL senior vice president and global head of major events Jon Barker, politics never factored meaningfully into the league’s decision. In a recent conversation with The Athletic, Barker said:
“What we really look at first and foremost is who’s the right artist for that moment,” Barker said. “And we absolutely 100 percent believe and know that Bad Bunny is the right artist for this moment, for this show. We’re already successful, having Bad Bunny a part of it.”
Bad Bunny is counted among the most popular artists on the planet, topping Spotify’s global charts at the end of 2025 for the fourth time with nearly 20 billion streams.
“He’s one of the most popular artists on the planet,” Barker added. “He illustrates our commitment to building meaningful connections across our fans and across generations and across cultures and across continents.”
While his selection has led to political discourse, including reports that ICE agents would be present at the game and conservative groups announcing counterprogramming, Barker said the league’s focus remains on delivering a global entertainment moment that brings fans together.
“We always say football is for everybody. And so is music. Music is for everybody. … We’re always going to be respectful of different points of view,” Barker said. “Music is very subjective, and everybody will have their opinion. But our role is to unite fans, our role is unify fans and we truly believe that Bad Bunny is, again, the artist that can do that.”
Bad Bunny framed the opportunity in similar terms when his selection was announced.
“This is for my people, my culture, and our history,” he said.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 8.
