Trump skips Super Bowl, blasts halftime performers

For the first time in his current term, the President of the United States will be watching the “Big Game” from the comfort of the residence rather than a luxury suite. President Donald Trump has officially confirmed he will not attend Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, opting to forgo the trip to the West Coast while simultaneously lobbing a series of rhetorical grenades at the NFL’s choice of performers.

Last year, Trump made history as the first sitting commander-in-chief to attend the American sporting pinnacle in person. However, in a recent sit-down with the New York Post, the 79-year-old president cited logistics and personal preference for his decision to skip the February 8 spectacle.

The “Too Far” Factor

While California prepares for the massive influx of fans, Trump made it clear that the cross-country trek wasn’t in the cards.

“It’s just too far away,” Trump told the Post. “I would [go]. I’ve gotten great hands for the Super Bowl, they like me.” He added, with a hint of his signature brand of negotiation, “I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter.”

However, beyond the flight time, the President’s absence appears deeply rooted in a cultural clash with this year’s entertainment roster—a lineup he claims is designed to “sow hatred.”

A Halftime Show in the Crosshairs

The NFL’s decision to tap Green Day for the opening act and global superstar Bad Bunny for the halftime headliner has drawn the President’s direct ire. Both acts have long utilized their massive platforms to campaign against Trump’s administration, specifically regarding immigration and social policies.

Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) has emerged as a powerhouse of political resistance. The Puerto Rican artist has been a vocal critic of the administration’s ICE raids and immigration crackdowns. Last year, he even incorporated a Trump impression into his track “Nuevayol,” which featured a satirical apology to the immigrant community.

“I want to apologize to the immigrants in America… This country is nothing without the immigrants,” the lyrics stated, listing nationalities from Mexicans to Cubans in a pointed critique of the President’s rhetoric.

Green Day: From “American Idiot” to “MAGA Agenda”

If Bad Bunny represents a newer wave of opposition, Green Day represents the old guard. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has spent the better part of two decades as a political firebrand, famously pivoting his 2004 classic American Idiot from a critique of the Bush era to a direct assault on the MAGA movement.

The band has famously updated their lyrics during live sets, replacing “redneck agenda” with “MAGA agenda.” During a recent UK performance, Armstrong’s rhetoric reached a fever pitch, labeling the administration “fascist” and comparing the President’s populism to that of historical dictators.

“The worst problem I see about Trump is who his followers are,” Armstrong told Kerrang! magazine. “I actually feel bad for them… they’re poor, working-class people who can’t get a leg up. He’s preyed on their anger. I mean, that’s f***ing Hitler, man!”

“I’m Anti-Them”

Confronted with these criticisms and the Super Bowl selection, Trump was characteristically blunt.

“I’m anti-them,” the President stated. “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”

Despite the friction radiating from the White House, the performers remain undeterred. Green Day, playing in their metaphorical backyard of Northern California, expressed being “super hyped” to open the night for global fans. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny has already launched a promotional trailer featuring him dancing through Puerto Rico to his hit “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” signaling that while the President may be staying home, the show in Santa Clara will go on with its political edges sharpened.