Grammy winner Bad Bunny took the stage in what was one of the most talked-about Super Bowl halftime shows in recent years, and as everyone expected, the fans were quick to express their disappointment after the performance. The backlash wasn’t just from music fans; it echoed all the way to the political arena, adding a new layer to the fallout. That backlash forced Bad Bunny to make a drastic decision.

Shortly after the show wrapped, the artist archived all of his Instagram posts. There’s every reason to believe the move is temporary, but the timing made it clear that the criticism and backlash got to him.

During his performance, once the stage was assembled, with the workers taking less than 10 minutes, Bad Bunny opened alone, easing into the set before the scene faded into a street-style dance party set in Puerto Rico. As the tempo picked up, Lady Gaga made an appearance, followed by Ricky Martin, and it was expected that the fans would love it.

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But the performance didn’t end on a song choice so much as a statement. With criticism following him since the announcement that he would headline the halftime show, Bad Bunny closed with a direct appeal for unity.

“Lo único más poderoso que el odio, es el amor,” he said.

“The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” is the closest translation to that message. The message was intended to cut the tension down between Bad Bunny and the fans, framing love as a common ground, but it clearly failed to do so, with the fans declaring their anger and disappointment across every social media platform.

The response stood out in part because fans usually circle the halftime show as a reset point, something that can bring in a little extra excitement. At that stage of the game, the Seattle Seahawks held a 12–0 lead, and the action on the field had yet to find much rhythm, and that’s usually when the halftime shows bring in some spark. It was a different script this time around.

Bad Bunny hasn’t followed up publicly since his message onstage, but the Instagram shutdown made his feelings pretty clear. Whether he chooses to address the criticism directly remains to be seen, but one response that does feel inevitable is from Donald Trump.

Donald Trump slams Bad Bunny’s halftime show

Donald Trump evidently didn’t enjoy the halftime performance, and it didn’t take long for him to weigh in on Bad Bunny’s performance.

“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” he wrote on Truth Social. “It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence.”

He didn’t stop there.

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World. This “Show” is just a “slap in the face” to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day — including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History!”

Trump also used the moment to revisit football itself, calling on the NFL to reconsider its newly revised kickoff rule. His criticism didn’t start today. Ever since commissioner Roger Goodell selected Bad Bunny as the halftime performer, Trump has repeatedly voiced his displeasure, and understandably so.

The singer, who is Puerto Rican, has been outspoken in his criticism of Trump and chose to do a month-long concert residency in Puerto Rico rather than tour the mainland United States, citing concerns about potential detention by ICE agents.

“I’m anti-them,” Trump told The New York Post a few weeks ago. “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”

Bad Bunny has leaned into controversy before by releasing a song named Nuevayol, which featured an imitation of Trump’s voice, stirring up more drama.

“I want to apologize to the immigrants in America. This country is nothing without the immigrants,” the voice said. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans.”

Whether the debate cools now that the Super Bowl is over remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that things aren’t ending on a happy note.