Turning Point USA Plans 'All-American Halftime Show' to Rival Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Performance

The Super Bowl may be months away, but the culture wars have already kicked off. Charlie Kirk's conservative youth organisation, Turning Point USA, has announced that it will stage an 'All-American Halftime Show' on 8 February 2026, the same day as Super Bowl LX, in open protest against the NFL's decision to have Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny headline the official halftime performance.

A Political Counterattack To Pop Culture

The announcement has sparked an online storm, with social media users, celebrities, and politicians clashing over what the event represents. Turning Point USA's post described the project as 'a true celebration of American values', accompanied by a survey asking what genres people want to hear.

Options included 'Americana', 'Worship', and 'Anything in English', a thinly veiled jab at Bad Bunny, who performs mainly in Spanish.

But critics say the initiative exposes an undercurrent of xenophobia masquerading as patriotism. After all, as many have been quick to point out, Puerto Rico is a United States territory and Bad Bunny is, legally and culturally, as American as anyone born in Texas or Tennessee.

Conservatives Cry Foul

The backlash began shortly after the NFL confirmed Bad Bunny as the 2026 halftime headliner, making him the first Latin artist to lead the show twice. Right-wing figures wasted no time denouncing the decision.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem suggested that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be 'all over that place', despite Bad Bunny being a U.S. citizen.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called the booking 'a terrible decision', suggesting 82-year-old country singer Lee Greenwood would be a 'more fitting choice for the American spirit'.

Even former President Donald Trump weighed in, calling Bad Bunny an 'absolutely ridiculous choice', before admitting he had 'never heard of him'. For Turning Point USA, this was the perfect cue to launch their own 'patriotic' alternative, one they claim will 'bring back real American music'.

However, the specifics remain murky. No date, venue, or confirmed performer list has been released. What exists for now is a website collecting fan input and promising a line-up reveal 'soon'.

The irony? One of the genres included in the site's poll is hip hop, a style Kirk himself previously criticised as 'degenerate'.

The Meaning Behind 'All-American'

The phrase 'All-American' has drawn scrutiny and mockery alike. While some conservative commentators champion the term as a stand for traditional values, others see it as a coded statement about race, language, and inclusion.

Turning Point's decision to contrast 'Anything in English' against Bad Bunny's bilingual repertoire has been labelled by critics as both culturally tone-deaf and politically performative.

Political analysts argue that the move fits neatly into Turning Point's long-running strategy of transforming cultural flashpoints into fundraising and mobilisation opportunities.

By framing the Super Bowl as another battlefield in America's identity war, Kirk's organisation has once again turned entertainment into a partisan spectacle.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has yet to respond publicly. The Puerto Rican megastar, who boasts over 80 million monthly Spotify listeners, remains one of the most streamed artists in the world. He is currently on a global tour and is slated to receive Billboard's 'Latin Artist of the 21st Century' award later this year.

Social Media Meltdown

The internet's reaction was instant and chaotic. Supporters of Turning Point USA hailed the idea as a 'patriotic alternative' to what they call 'woke entertainment', while others mocked it as 'a concert for people who think salsa is un-American'. Memes flooded X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram, with users jokingly suggesting that the event might feature Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, or the cast of Duck Dynasty.

Meanwhile, music critics and political commentators have questioned whether such counterprogramming can even compete with the scale and cultural reach of the Super Bowl. Some point out that attempting to rival one of the world's most-watched broadcasts is not just ambitious, it is nearly impossible.