Donald Trump to Skip Super Bowl LX, Criticizes Bad Bunny and Green Day
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will not attend Super Bowl LX, set for February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, dismissing the location’s distance and slamming the game’s entertainment lineup in a highly politicized critique.
In an interview with the New York Post, Trump said the cross-country trip from Washington, D.C., was the primary reason for his decision. “It’s just too far away,” he told the outlet, adding that he would have considered attending if the event were closer. The remarks mark a break from last year’s appearance in New Orleans, where he became the first sitting U.S. president to attend the NFL’s championship game.
Yet Trump’s comments quickly shifted from logistics to broader criticism of the NFL’s choice of performers. The president took aim at Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, who is slated to headline the halftime show, and punk rock veterans Green Day, scheduled to perform in the pregame. “I’m anti-them,” Trump said, branding the selections “a terrible choice” that, in his view, “sows hatred.”
Political Backdrop to Entertainment
Bad Bunny and Green Day have both been vocal critics of Trump and his policies, especially on immigration and cultural issues. Bad Bunny has woven political commentary into his music and public statements, while Green Day’s frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has used the band’s platform to oppose the president’s agenda.
Despite the president’s critique, he insisted that entertainment choices were not the official reason for his absence. Trump maintained that the travel distance and demands of his busy schedule factored most heavily into the decision. “I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter,” he said.
Reaction and Context
Trump’s announcement comes amid a broader culture-war backdrop surrounding the Super Bowl’s entertainment lineup. Conservative commentators have seized on the performances as emblematic of what they view as ideological overreach by the NFL, while the league has defended its selections as reflecting diverse musical talent and broad fan appeal.
Levi’s Stadium will host what is expected to be one of the most-watched sporting events of the year, drawing millions of viewers domestically and around the world. With the headliners set and the teams determined by conference championships, attention has increasingly turned to the cultural conversations surrounding the event as much as the game itself.
Trump’s choice to skip the Super Bowl — even as he continues to make high-profile appearances at other sporting events — underscores the intersection of sports, entertainment and politics in 2026.
