Stephen A. Smith on NFL Halftime Show in Spanish

ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith expressed his perspective that Donald Trump and some conservative Americans are correct in their belief that the NFL halftime show should have been performed in English rather than Spanish.

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican artist slated to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime, made it clear he would only perform his songs in Spanish. This past Sunday, he fulfilled that promise by delivering the entire halftime show in Spanish.

Yet, with only around 15% of Americans fluent in Spanish, and even fewer familiar with the nuances of Puerto Rican slang, it seems the NFL may have inadvertently excluded a significant portion of the audience from understanding the show.

On his show, Smith implied that the decision to have Bad Bunny perform primarily in Spanish might not have been the best move for the NFL.

He described Bad Bunny’s performance as “off-kilter” but acknowledged it was “a really good show.” Still, he had a significant concern. “You’re in the United States and you’re performing almost entirely in Spanish…,” he remarked, pointing out that Trump and others have “valid points” when arguing that a performance predominantly in Spanish could alienate many viewers. “If you don’t understand Spanish, you’ll get lost,” he added.

Smith also mentioned that while it’s important to celebrate Hispanic culture, it would have been nice to have some songs in English. “That’s all. Still, it was a good show,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Trump criticized the halftime show, declaring it “the worst in history!” He expressed his feelings through a post on Truth Social, stating, “The Super Bowl halftime show was absolutely awful… it insults American greatness.” He felt the performance did not align with standards of success or creativity and described the dance as inappropriate for young viewers.

Trump labeled the performance as a “slap in the face” to the U.S. and anticipated that mainstream media would likely praise it. He stated, “This show is nothing more than a slap in the face to our country… It’s not inspiring, yet it will be celebrated by the media, who seem out of touch with reality.” He also criticized the NFL’s recent kickoff rule.

Despite the visual appeal of Bad Bunny’s performance, many Americans likely missed out on the explicit and provocative lyrics that were presented on the halftime stage. His songs included references to drugs and sexually explicit themes. For instance, one lyric stated, “Smile even if I’ve already had sex with you,” while another brazenly remarked, “My dick is hot.” There were also suggestive lyrics that implied audience participation and further references to cocaine and other substances.