Petition circulates to replace Bad Bunny with George Strait in the Super Bowl

The controversy over Bad Bunny’s impending performance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show continues.

After several Trump-aligned politicians expressed their disapproval of the Puerto Rican superstar landing the lead role in one of the most-watched broadcasts of the year, and Bad Bunny responded in kind by joking that English-speaking Americans have “four months to learn Spanish,” a petition has emerged calling for his replacement.

Organized by the probable pseudonym “Kar Shell”, the petition on Change.org urges the National Football League and the organizers of the halftime show, Roc Nation, to swap country legend George Strait for the Latin rap phenomenon. Stating that halftime shows of late have “leaned increasingly toward modern pop and international artists,” the petition insists that it is instead “critical to remember the roots that have made American music what it is today.”

Since his debut in 2016, the musician, actor and producer, whose distinctive musical style fuses reggaeton, rap, Latin trap and merengue, has earned a legion of international fans, becoming one of the most streamed artists on Spotify and amassing nearly 50 million followers on Instagram.

Although he has numerous number one singles throughout his four-decade career, Strait’s current reach pales in comparison to that of Bad Bunny, with just over 2 million followers on Instagram and no major hits in over a decade.

Still, the petition claims that Strait “embodies the heart and soul of American music” and “his ability to transcend generations with his timeless songs resonates with a diverse demographic.”

The petition then characterizes the annual Super Bowl halftime show as a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the rich heritage of American music. That show, says the petition organizer, “should unite our country, honor American culture and remain family-friendly, not become a political stunt. Bad Bunny represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage. Once again, George Strait embodies the unity, tradition and timeless American music that truly deserves the spotlight of Super Bowl 2026”.

Entertainment Weekly has contacted the organizer of the petition for comment.

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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was the first Trump official to launch a crackdown on Bad Bunny, promising to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to the halftime show.

Bad Bunny, who is American having been born in the unincorporated territory of Puerto Rico, previously shared that he skipped American cities on his recent I should have taken more photos world tour largely out of fear that “damn ICE might be out there.” [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and that we were very concerned about.”

But others have supported the musician born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, including Jennifer López, who brought Bad Bunny on stage during his 2020 co-headlining performance with Shakira. “Music and art transcend language. It doesn’t matter. He’s probably done it more than anyone in any generation,” he said. said on CBS Mornings on October 6.

Given the draw for last year’s halftime show. more than 127 million viewersBad Bunny may not need to lose sleep over the 50,000 signatories calling for his replacement.