Poll Surprise: Bad Bunny Comes Out Ahead of Trump When U.S. Adults Are Asked, ‘Who Better Represents America?’

A recent nationwide survey reveals that, according to the American public, Bad Bunny currently holds a slight lead over Donald Trump in representing the country. The Yahoo!/YouGov poll, fielded in the days following the Super Bowl, shows 42% of U.S. adults believe the Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar is a better symbol for America, edging out the 39% who selected the former president. With 20% undecided, the three-point gap presents a far closer contest than the championship game itself. This result underscores how cultural figures can sometimes resonate more broadly than polarizing political ones in certain national conversations.

The survey, which sampled over 1,700 adults from February 9-12 and carries a 3% margin of error, found generally favorable impressions of Bad Bunny. Forty-three percent view him positively, versus 36% unfavorably. His headline performance at the NFL's Super Bowl LVIII halftime show was approved by 44% of all adults, with 35% disapproving. Nearly half the adult population (47%) reported watching the show, and reactions were strongly positive: 30% of the total sample said they liked the performance, while only 8% disliked it. A significant point of discussion was the linguistic choice, with 31% of viewers approving of the all-Spanish setlist compared to 11% who disapproved.

Particularly impactful was the performance's finale. Bad Bunny—born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio in San Juan, Puerto Rico—concluded his set by stating "God bless America," naming every nation in the Americas, and unveiling a billboard proclaiming, "The only thing more powerful than hate is love." A full 60% of all respondents approved of this message, with just 16% disapproving and 24% uncertain. This overwhelming response suggests a public appetite for unifying gestures during major cultural events, even those that frequently become politicized. As Dr. Elena Ruiz, a cultural sociologist at Georgetown University, noted, "Such moments can create a temporary, shared emotional experience, though they rarely translate into lasting shifts in political allegiance."

Demographic analysis exposes profound divides. The poll's sample was 63% white, 16% Hispanic, and 13% Black, with a nearly even partisan split (33% Republican, 31% Democrat). Opinions of Bad Bunny were net negative among white respondents (39% favorable to 41% unfavorable) but decisively positive among Black (57% favorable) and Hispanic (51% favorable) audiences. The question of who better represents America revealed an even sharper racial split: 48% of white respondents chose Trump versus 37% for Bad Bunny, while 61% of Black respondents and 46% of Hispanic respondents selected the artist.

The controversy was partly ignited by Donald Trump's own critiques, which he posted multiple times on his Truth Social platform. He called the show "a slap in the face" and criticized its Spanish lyrics and choreography. Some Republican strategists view this focus as misdirected. "It's going to do us more damage than good," Vianca Rodriguez, a former Trump administration official who served as deputy Hispanic communications director for the Republican National Committee, told Reuters. "That shouldn't have been a battle to have been picked culturally." This tactical concern is heightened by the electoral landscape, as several critical House races this November are in districts with substantial Latino populations where such criticism may backfire. The NFL's longstanding strategy of using the halftime show to attract younger, more diverse viewers—a tactic dating back to MTV's involvement in the early 1990s—appears successful given the strong viewership and generally positive reception.