Following the Seattle Seahawks' victory in the Super Bowl, public focus extended beyond the game itself to a unique contest: the competing halftime shows led by Bad Bunny and Kid Rock. While official viewership figures for Bad Bunny's NFL-sanctioned halftime extravaganza, which typically draws over 100 million viewers, were pending release as of Tuesday, data shared by Turning Point USA highlighted significant audiences for their rival performance.
Turning Point USA, the conservative group behind Kid Rock's event, estimated that approximately 10 million viewers engaged with the show across various social media platforms at one peak. Although the organization withheld precise audience measurements on Monday, they reported that live viewing on YouTube alone reached close to 5 million at times. The group characterized the alternative halftime experience as an explicit response to the NFL’s choice of a Puerto Rican headliner and enjoyed the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
The contrasting performances occurred against the backdrop of a politically charged U.S. environment. Debates over immigration policies prominently shaped public discourse, reflecting a divide between supporters of President Trump's immigration stance and opponents advocating for more inclusive approaches in American cities. Notably, this period also witnessed heightened tensions in locations like Minneapolis, connected to recent federal actions and protests stemming from racial justice issues.
Bad Bunny, identified as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio and known for his 2025 achievement as the most streamed artist, championed themes of unity during his show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. His presentation featured significant elements of Puerto Rican identity and openly referenced challenges faced by the territory, such as persistent power outages and the aspiration for greater sovereignty. Although a vocal critic of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), he refrained from directly mentioning the agency during his performance.
Conversely, Kid Rock, acknowledged as a prominent conservative ally of the former president, led the “All American Halftime Show,” a roughly 30-minute program that included a multimedia tribute to Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was fatally attacked the previous year. The lineup also featured country artists Brantley Gilbert, Gabby Barrett, and Lee Brice. Participants heralded the event as representing authentic American values, and Turning Point USA's Andrew Kolvet vouched for its substantial impact, describing viewership as a "massive success." The show was also broadcast on multiple right-leaning networks such as OAN News and Trinity Broadcasting Network.
Despite these claims, the estimated audience of 10 million for the Turning Point show remains significantly lower than historical Super Bowl halftime viewership peaks. For context, Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime performance holds the record with 133.5 million viewers, followed by Usher's 2024 show with 123.4 million viewers.
President Trump publicly criticized Bad Bunny’s official halftime performance, labeling it on Truth Social as "one of the worst, EVER," and described it as antithetical to his ideals of American greatness and standard of excellence. He asserted that the show was disrespectful to the country, which he claims is continually achieving new milestones.