Why Trump Really Hates Bad Bunny
A Quick Read on When the Culture Moves On (and Doesn’t Ask Permission.)
Why Trump Really Hates Bad Bunny
A Quick Read on When the Culture Moves On (and Doesn’t Ask Permission.)
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #767: Friday, February 6th, 2026.
Donald Trump doesn’t “hate” Bad Bunny because of music.
He hates him because Bad Bunny is a walking…talking symbol…of something Trump can’t control:
A culture that’s moving on without asking permission.
Start with the surface-level stuff. Trump reportedly dismissed the NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show as “absolutely ridiculous,” and publicly signaled he wouldn’t even watch.
That’s the performance.
Here’s what’s underneath it.
1) Bad Bunny is “American” in the one way that short-circuits the whole script
The right-wing freakout over Bad Bunny has a funny problem:
He’s an American citizen. Puerto Rico is part of the United States. That reality makes the whole “foreigners are invading our traditions” routine look like a cheap Halloween mask.
So the anger can’t honestly be about nationality.
It’s about belonging.
Bad Bunny represents a version of America that’s bilingual…younger…Puerto Rican…and unbothered by whether the old guard approves.
And nothing enrages a status-obsessed movement more than a person…who refuses to audition for acceptance.
2) He doesn’t just perform; he frames
Bad Bunny isn’t a neutral entertainer. He’s willing to put a moral stake in the ground…especially around immigration and dehumanization.
At the 2026 Grammys…he delivered a direct anti-ICE message (“ICE out”) and pushed back on the language used to describe immigrants.
That’s not “celebrity politics.”
That’s narrative interference…the one thing authoritarians can’t tolerate…because they rely on control of the story more than control of the facts.
3) Puerto Rico is still a live wire
Trump’s relationship with Puerto Rico has long been radioactive…especially after Hurricane Maria and the now-infamous paper towel moment.
Bad Bunny’s cultural prominence keeps that memory from fading into the soft-focus fog of “moving on.”
Trump doesn’t hate Bad Bunny because Bad Bunny “attacked him.”
He hates him…because Bad Bunny is a constant reminder that people remember…and that not everyone can be bullied into amnesia.
The real reason
Bad Bunny is proof of three things Trump hates:
You can be massively influential without being loyal.
You can reject the script and still win the stage.
You can speak plainly…without fear…and people will cheer.
So…no…this isn’t about a halftime show.
It’s about a president…watching the culture crown someone he can’t dominate…
…and realizing the microphone…is no longer his.
Enjoy the Super Bowl. Especially the Half-Time performance…of Bad Bunny.
#HoldFast
Back soon.
-Jack
Jack Hopkins
This isn’t about music — it’s about power and anxiety.
Bad Bunny’s global voice and unapologetic identity challenge the old guard’s narrative about who “belongs” and who gets to be heard. Trump’s backlash isn’t cultural critique — it’s fear of a platform he can’t control, especially one amplified by millions who reject fear and exclusion.
You had me at Bad Bunny. I scored a seat at my neighbors house! You enjoy the game too! Lets not forget Green Day. When we resurface, let's hope Tdump didn't bomb Iran.