Karoline Leavitt's honest response to Bad Bunny performing at Super Bowl
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a cryptic response to Fox News' question about Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl next year during a press briefing
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt offered a mysterious response to Bad Bunny's upcoming Halftime Show performance at the Super Bowl next year during a press briefing about the government shutdown.
The NFL revealed the announcement during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers game on Sunday, Sept. 28. Since then, the 31-year-old Puerto Rican rapper, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has faced backlash from many of Donald Trump's supporters for being selected. However, Bad Bunny's fans have quickly rallied to his defense.
Meanwhile, Trump's advisor Corey Lewandowski has cautioned that ICE agents will be present at Bad Bunny's performance. The Super Bowl will mark Bad Bunny's sole performance in the US after he decided to exclude American dates from his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, which kicks off next month, due to concerns about ICE raids occurring at his shows.
During Leavitt's press briefing on Oct. 3, Fox News' White House correspondent Peter Doocy questioned her, "What do you guys think about the NFL's decision to name Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer, somebody who had not scheduled in the US because he says that he's worried that ICE is going to come and arrest his fans."
When Doocy finished his question, Leavitt responded with a slight smile, "Well, look, I know there are many in this room who are very anxious to hear the president's response to Bad Bunny being the Halftime Show. So, I won't get ahead of him. I will reveal what he feels about this next time you all ask him a question; you're welcome to do that."
The 28-year-old continued, "I have my own feelings on that, but that's not what I'm up here to talk about. As far as ICE being at the Super Bowl. As far as I'm aware, there's no tangible plan for that in store right now.
"However, of course, this administration is always going to arrest and deport illegal immigrants when we find them. They're criminals. We're going to do the right thing by our country."
Below a social media post on X capturing the exchange, one user quipped, "Doocy: Would the President rather have Kid Rock perform at the Super Bowl. Leavitt: That's a silly question. You bawitdaba da bang da bang bet he would."
Another criticized Doocy for asking the critical questions all of America is begging for—or not—while a third commented, "BREAKING: Karoline Leavitt just said there are no current plans to have ICE agents at the Superbowl, because of Bad Bunny, to arrest illegal aliens."
A fourth user criticized, "Seriously, does EVERYTHING have to be political? Smdh," while another wrote, "This is pathetic. The presidency and the NFL are two separate entities. They need to stop having a say in every single thing."
After Bad Bunny was revealed as the halftime show headliner, Lewandowski made an appearance on The Benny Show, where host Benny Johnson questioned whether "ICE will have enforcement at the Super Bowl."
In response to Johnson's inquiry, Lewandowski declared, "There is nowhere you can provide a safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you, apprehend you, put you in a detention facility, and deport you. Know that it is a very real situation under this administration, which is contrary to how it used to be."
At the same time, Bad Bunny's supporters are rallying to his defense online, blasting "MAGA idiots" for falsely claiming he doesn't speak English and isn't an American citizen - when he actually is, as a Puerto Rico native. Other critics are attacking his selection, arguing that none of his tracks are performed in English.