Donald Trump will not attend the Super Bowl and calls the musical choice terrible
US President Donald Trump attended Super Bowl 2025 when Kendrick Lamar performed
President Donald Trump announced that he will not attend the 2026 Super Bowl, which will be held next month at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. This marks a change from last year, when he became the first sitting president to attend the major sporting event in person. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump justified his decision by citing the distance: “It’s too far.” He added, “I would. I’ve had very good hands at the Super Bowl. They like me. I would go if, you know, it was a little shorter.” Criticism of the Artists Beyond his absence, the president focused his comments on criticizing the choice of artists for the show. He expressed strong disagreement with the participation of Bad Bunny, who will perform at the halftime show, and Green Day, who will headline the opening ceremony. “I’m against them,” Trump stated regarding the musicians. “I think it’s a terrible decision. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
Regarding Bad Bunny specifically, the president recalled that he had already criticized the NFL for signing him in October, even saying in an interview last year: “I’ve never heard of him… I don’t know who he is.” On that occasion, he called the decision “absolutely ridiculous.”
Trump’s statements do not come in a vacuum and are part of a history of tensions between the president and both artists.
Bad Bunny: The Puerto Rican artist, the most streamed artist on Spotify in 2025, has been openly critical of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Last September, he explained that he had avoided bringing his tour to the continental United States for fear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would target his concerts.
Green Day, for its part, has a long history of antagonism toward Trump and the Republican Party, with anti-establishment anthems like “American Idiot.” Its frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, has frequently modified the lyrics of his songs in concert to include slogans against Trump and the MAGA movement.And in 2024 he even wore a mask of the president with the word "IDIOT" written on it.