The latest on Turning Point's alternative Super Bowl halftime show
- - The latest on Turning Point's alternative Super Bowl halftime show
Stephanie Murray, Arizona RepublicJanuary 14, 2026 at 4:11 AM
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Less than a month out from the Super Bowl, Turning Point USA has yet to announce its alternative halftime show lineup.
Following a firehose of criticism from right-wing voices, the conservative organization announced in October that it would put on its own Super Bowl halftime show, in direct competition with reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny's performance.
Turning Point, founded by late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has yet to announce who will perform at the event, however. The Super Bowl is slated for Sunday, Feb. 8.
"It's happening. It's [going to] be in an arena, it's a real production here," Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said Oct. 10 of the show aimed at countering Bad Bunny's Super Bowl LX performance. Which names, if there are multiple, will make up the lineup remains to be seen – though the split over artists willing to perform at events for President Donald Trump has grown wider in recent years.
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After news broke in 2025 that the Puerto Rican artist would perform at the Super Bowl, a slew of conservative pundits and Trump himself criticized the choice. Bad Bunny performs primarily in Spanish and has been a critic of the Republican president.
"I've never heard of him," Trump said on Newsmax's "Greg Kelly Reports" in October. "I don't know who he is. I don't know why they're doing it. It's crazy. I think it's absolutely ridiculous."
Bad Bunny has been Spotify's top global artist four times – in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2025 – garnering 19.8 billion streams last year, according to Spotify.
Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
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Though Turning Point has offered few details about the show, the group has a survey on its website for what viewers would like to see on the livestream. The options range from genres like hip-hop, pop, country and classic rock to worship music, Americana or "Anything In English."
Bad Bunny, for his part, has embraced the controversy. In an October appearance on "Saturday Night Live," the singer quipped: "I think everybody's happy about it. Even Fox News."
He then played a montage of Fox News anchors, which was edited to seem like they were praising him and saying, "Bad Bunny is my favorite musician, and he should be the next president."
Who will perform at the Turning Point halftime show?
Turning Point leaders have been tight-lipped about who will perform at the "All American Halftime Show," which will be livestreamed during the Super Bowl. The group said performers and event details were coming "soon" when it announced the show Oct. 9.
"Just wait until you hear who is asking to join this lineup…," Turning Point Action Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer said in October on X.
Erika Kirk and Nicki Minaj high five furing a Turning Point USA event in Dec. 2025.
Nicki Minaj proclaims 'love' for Trump, Vance at Turning Point event
The group hosted rapper Nicki Minaj for a much-talked-about onstage interview with Erika Kirk in December. Minaj did not perform her music at the conference, but she did walk on stage to her hit single "Super Bass." Kolvet and other Turning Point leaders have also stoked speculation that the halftime show might feature the rock band Creed.
Vice President JD Vance, who the organization has endorsed for president in 2028, walked off the AmericaFest stage to Creed's "Higher" on Dec. 21.
Is ICE coming to the Super Bowl?
Bad Bunny, who been critical of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, has previously said that he did not book any U.S. dates on his most recent tour because he worried U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could show up at the venues and target fans.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE, fired back by saying that the agency will be "all over" the Super Bowl. Noem warned that "people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they are law-abiding Americans who love this country."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Turning Point's Super Bowl halftime show still hasn't announce lineup
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
