Bad Bunny Claps Back to Kristi Noem's Immigration Threats Before Super Bowl Halftime Show

In his opening monologue as host of the season premiere of SNL, Bad Bunny responded to controversial statements made by Trump administration official Kristi Noem regarding his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance.

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer quipped that "all people" was pleased about his scheduled show, "including Fox News."

“Happy to return. I’ve hosted twice now and appeared four times,” he told the audience. “I’m doing the Super Bowl half-time show. I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it.”

A quick montage came after featuring Fox News contributors seeming to support the artist for president.

An Important Statement for the Latino Community

In his monologue, the musician switched to Spanish to speak to "Latinos everywhere across the globe and here in the U.S.."

He stated that his Super Bowl selection was more than a personal achievement but an accomplishment for all people, showing that the Latino contribution in the U.S. cannot be removed.

Then, switching to English, he added, "If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn."

Conservative Backlash and Noem's Comments

The announcement of Bad Bunny’s performance sparked anger among right-wing commentators, including Kristi Noem.

On a recent podcast, she warned that just U.S. citizens should attend the 2026 Super Bowl and threatened that ICE agents "would be present throughout" the event.

Noem further suggested the league would "not be able to sleep at night" for selecting the performer.

Tour Omission and Live Shows

Previously, Bad Bunny explained that concerns of ICE raids at his live events resulted in him excluding the U.S. from his upcoming global tour.

Recently concluding a three-month performance run in his home territory, which reportedly drew around 600,000 attendees.

"The shows were incredible, and the fans were amazing," he noted during his opening speech.

Comedy Segments and Topical Humor

During additional segments of the premiere episode, comedian a regular impersonated commentator Pete Hegseth.

That segment featured a tirade about the armed forces, mockingly echoing the host’s recent statements about inclusion and body-shaming within the troops.

Additionally, Trump impersonator James Austin Johnson appeared briefly as a "unofficial watchdog" of the program, claiming he was there to make sure "SNL doesn’t cross the line with jokes about me."

Steve Miller
Steve Miller

A passionate traveler and writer sharing experiences from journeys across the UK and beyond.