Footage From Mar-A-Lago Shows Trump 'Happily' Watching Bad Bunny's Halftime Show Instead of Kid Rock

US President Donald Trump was shown in video footage from his Mar-a-Lago Super Bowl watch party, apparently watching Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny's Super Bowl LX halftime performance rather than the alternative event headlined by Kid Rock, contradicting earlier public statements from his allies.

The clip, shared widely on social media by users including the watchdog account Patriot Takes, appears to show Bad Bunny's official NFL performance airing on large screens inside Trump's Palm Beach, Florida, residence as guests, including Republican lawmakers, look on.

The development swiftly captured national attention on Monday, prompting discussion across political and cultural spheres about the optics of Trump's viewing choices amid heightened partisan division over mainstream cultural moments such as the NFL's halftime show.

Halftime Show Context And Trump's Public Stance

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican singer and rapper, was the headline performer for the official Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show on Sunday, 8 February 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It was widely noted for its celebration of Latin culture and for being predominantly in Spanish, the first such Super Bowl halftime performance in history.

In the lead-up to the event, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly suggested that Trump would prefer an alternative performance headlined by Rock musician Kid Rock, organised by conservative group Turning Point USA as a counter-programming event.

Despite those statements, documentation from the Super Bowl weekend shows Trump later deriding Bad Bunny's official halftime show on Truth Social, calling it 'absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!' and a 'slap in the face to our country,' specifically criticising the Spanish language and dancing in the performance.

While Trump's social media comments made clear his strong disapproval of the performance, footage from his watch party appears to show the official NFL broadcast featuring Bad Bunny, not the alternative, country-leaning show supported by many of his political backers, on screens throughout the event space.

The Mar-a-Lago Footage And Its Reception

The short video circulating online first emerged via an X post from Patriot Takes, displaying a room inside the Mar-a-Lago party with Bad Bunny's halftime show playing.

Viewers could see the official performance's distinctive staging on multiple screens, rather than footage from the Turning Point USA alternative event.

Social media users and commentators seized on the apparent contradiction between Trump's rhetoric and what he was watching. Some characterised the footage as 'hypocritical.'

This stresses the contrast between Trump's public disdain for the Bad Bunny performance and his decision, or that of his event organisers, to broadcast it at his private party.

The Alternative Halftime Show And Political Overtones

The Turning Point USA 'All-American Halftime Show,' held concurrently with the official NFL broadcast, featured country and rock acts including Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett, and was promoted as a conservative alternative.

Estimates of viewership for that alternative broadcast vary, but they are significantly lower than the audience for the official Super Bowl halftime show, which drew an estimated global audience well over 100 million.

Some commentators noted that the Trump camp's early advocacy for the alternative show, combined with this week's widely shared footage from Mar-a-Lago, underscored the ongoing cultural schism in US public life, particularly around entertainment choices that have become politicised.

Critics on social media pointed out that even among conservative audiences, views on Kid Rock's performance were mixed, with some posts mocking it as poor quality or even lip-synced, in stark contrast to the widespread critical acclaim Bad Bunny's set received from many mainstream outlets.

Bad Bunny's halftime performance was hailed by many fans and cultural commentators as a historic, inclusive moment in Super Bowl history, with strong critical praise for its artistic ambition and cultural resonance.

Trump's apparent choice of entertainment at his Super Bowl party may resonate beyond a single sporting event, as debates over culture and politics continue to intensify across the United States.