President Donald Trump has made it clear: he won’t be at Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California. Speaking with the New York Post last weekend, Trump cited the distance from Washington, D.C., as the primary reason for skipping the event.
Trump Opts Out of Super Bowl LX, Breaking With Last Year
“It’s just too far away. I would. I’ve [gotten] great hands [at] the Super Bowl. They like me,” he said. “I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter.”
Trump’s decision marks a departure from last year, when he attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, becoming the first sitting president to attend the game. That visit included meet-and-greets with Chiefs players, honorary coin toss participants, and first responders.
But his absence this year is about more than just logistics. The Super Bowl halftime show has become a flashpoint for controversy, with Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny and rock band Green Day set to perform. Both acts have been openly critical of Trump, and Trump himself has expressed strong disapproval.
“I don’t know who [Bad Bunny] is… I think it’s absolutely ridiculous,” Trump said, criticizing the NFL’s selection. Green Day has similarly taken aim at the former president, altering lyrics in live performances to call out the “MAGA agenda.”
Halftime Show Controversy and ICE Presence Raise Tensions
The halftime controversy intersects with heightened security concerns. The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that ICE agents will be present in and around Levi’s Stadium during the Super Bowl. While local leaders, including the mayor of San Jose and city council members, have worked to ensure a measured approach, fear of enforcement remains a concern, particularly among immigrant communities.
Bad Bunny himself cited ICE fears as a reason for avoiding concerts in the continental U.S. last year. “There was the issue of, like, f—ing ICE could be outside [my concert],” he told i-D, explaining the decision to stick to Puerto Rico for his performances.
Bad Bunny is performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Green Day is performing the pre-game show.
Both are extremely anti-Trump.
Coincidence? No.
— Owen Shroyer (@OwenShroyer1776) January 19, 2026
For fans, the political tension and federal enforcement presence adds layers of complexity to an event usually defined by touchdowns and halftime spectacles. The NFL, however, has doubled down on its choice of performers.
“There’s a lot of people right now who don’t like Bad Bunny being in the Super Bowl halftime show… Well, not everyone has to like everything we do. Bad Bunny is f—ing awesome,” NFL chief marketing officer Tim Ellis said in October.
As Super Bowl LX approaches, Trump will watch from afar, while the halftime show and security preparations take center stage in Santa Clara.
