While Donald Trump reportedly opted to watch Bad Bunny’s high-energy Super Bowl LX halftime show from his Mar-A-Lago estate—skipping a conservative alternative livestream—he was far from impressed by the performance. Despite the set serving as a 13-minute vibrant homage to Puerto Rico, the former president complained that the singer’s delivery was entirely indecipherable.
Following the performance, which secured its place as the fourth most-watched halftime show in history, Trump took to Truth Social to vent his frustrations. He characterized the spectacle as “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever,” specifically taking aim at the linguistic barrier by stating, “nobody understands a word this guy is saying.”
That critique didn’t sit well with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. When questioned by reporters on Tuesday regarding Trump’s dismissal of the show and his description of the choreography as “disgusting,” the New York Democrat offered a sharp-witted retort. Referring to the 79-year-old MAGA leader’s own reputation for rambling speeches and verbal stumbles, AOC quipped, “I barely know what Trump’s saying half the time. So… I feel him.”
The congresswoman also addressed the backlash from other Republican figures, including Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles and Florida’s Randy Fine. Ogles has pushed for a formal congressional inquiry into the NFL and NBC, alleging they facilitated an “indecent” and “brazen” broadcast. AOC pointed out the logical inconsistency in their outrage, noting that since the performance was primarily in Spanish, their complaints about the content seemed misplaced if they truly couldn’t understand it.
“I thought they didn’t understand what he was saying?” she joked, before adding with a smile that she looked forward to seeing the lawmakers’ “Duolingo scores” before taking their linguistic critiques seriously.
Reflecting on the performance itself, which featured guest appearances by Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, and Cardi B, AOC expressed deep cultural pride. She praised Bad Bunny for using the global stage to tell a nuanced story of the Americas—from the history of sugar cane agriculture to the Nuyorican diaspora in New York City. The show concluded with a powerful message on the stadium’s Jumbotron: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
“It wasn’t just about fantastic music; it was about how we can come together as a country,” AOC remarked. “I think it was incredibly inspiring and joyful during a time that many people find very challenging. He made us all very proud.”
When asked if the superstar might soften his political rhetoric, specifically his vocal opposition to ICE, AOC was doubtful. She noted that Bad Bunny’s courage to use his platform is what makes him such a pivotal figure in modern culture. This was recently evident at the Grammy Awards, where he used his acceptance speech for Best Música Urbana Album to slam aggressive immigration tactics.
“We are not savages, we are not animals… we are humans and we are Americans,” Benito told the Grammy audience earlier this month. “The hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing more powerful than hate is love. If we fight, we have to do it with love.”
