Bad Bunny Files Stunning $500 Million Lawsuit Against Donald Trump, Claiming The President’s Super Bowl LX Halftime Remarks Were Made With “Actual Malice” and it’s Causing Severe Reputation Damage

Bad Bunny Files $500 Million Defamation Suit Against Donald Trump After Super Bowl LX Remarks, Alleges Actual Malice and Reputation Harm

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In a dramatic legal escalation just days after Super Bowl LX, Grammy-winning star Bad Bunny has filed a $500 million defamation lawsuit against former President Donald J. Trump, claiming that Trump’s widely circulated post-game remarks about the Apple Music Halftime Show were made with “actual malice” and caused significant damage to the artist’s reputation.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco on Tuesday, alleges that Trump knowingly made false statements about Bad Bunny’s performance and acted with reckless disregard for the truth, despite the global acclaim the show received during one of the most-watched entertainment events of the year. The complaint cites social media posts and public comments attributed to Trump that criticized Bad Bunny’s musical style, cultural impact, and artistic merit.

Bad Bunny headlined the halftime show at Super Bowl LX — the NFL’s championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, held at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026. The Seahawks went on to win the game 29-13 in front of tens of thousands in the stadium and millions of viewers worldwide, and Bad Bunny’s performance featured surprise appearances and high-energy choreography that dominated sports and music headlines. 

‘Actual Malice’ Alleged in Legal Filing

According to the lawsuit, Trump’s statements went beyond subjective criticism and included assertions framed as factual claims about Bad Bunny’s conduct, intentions, and understanding of American culture. The filing argues that those assertions were false and that Trump either knew they were false or acted with reckless indifference to the truth — a legal standard known as “actual malice,” which public figures must prove in U.S. defamation cases.

“This lawsuit is not about disagreement over art or music,” a spokesperson for Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It is about the deliberate spread of falsehoods by a public figure for political gain, and the very real harm those falsehoods have caused to a global artist’s reputation, career opportunities, and brand.” The filing asserts that the statements have already led to lost endorsements and targeted harassment online.

A Clash of Celebrity, Politics, and American Culture

The legal action quickly drew national media attention, with commentary pouring in from legal analysts, cultural critics, and entertainment insiders. Some commentators described the suit as a landmark moment for celebrity free-speech rights, while others saw it as another flashpoint in the broader clash between artistic expression and political rhetoric.

Supporters of Trump have dismissed the lawsuit as politically motivated, arguing that public figures, including artists, are subject to commentary and critique — especially in the context of major national events like the Super Bowl. However, Bad Bunny’s legal team insists that the case goes far beyond mere opinion, focusing instead on sworn statements that the complaint says were offered as factual and verifiably false.

What Comes Next

The court is expected to set a schedule for early briefing and hearings in the coming weeks. Legal experts say the case could take years to fully resolve, and that early motions over jurisdiction and free-speech protections could shape the heart of the dispute long before a trial ever begins.

For now, Bad Bunny continues to dominate headlines on multiple fronts — as a chart-topping recording artist, a cultural icon, and now as the lead plaintiff in one of the most highly publicized defamation suits in recent memory.