Turning Point USA’s halftime show was exactly what you’d expect

On Sunday evening, during Bad Bunny’s rousing halftime performance at Super Bowl LX, a crowd of what appeared to be fewer than 200 people at an undisclosed location was greeted by an alternative concert, titled “The All-American Halftime Show,” presented by the right-wing student organization Turning Point USA.

Conceived as culture war counter-programming to a show hosted by a Puerto Rican megastar who raps and sings in Spanish and has been an outspoken critic of ICE, the event featured four MAGA-aligned country stars and was headlined by Kid Rock, who walked in in his trademark shakes and fedoras. But for all the ideological furor behind this challenge to globally popular Latin music, TPUSA’s star-studded festival was neither particularly message-driven nor even provocative.

It aired on platforms including Rumble, DailyWire+, and multiple YouTube channels. Blake Neff, producer Charlie Kirk Showclaimed there were over 5 million live viewers on Turning Point USA’s YouTube stream; As of press time, it has been viewed more than 16 million times. Shortly before the live broadcast, TPUSA announced that it would not be able to broadcast the special on X due to “licensing issues”.

Meanwhile, Super Bowl LX was expected to attract up to 130 million viewers.

Although “The All-American Halftime Show” was designed largely as a memorial to Charlie Kirk, the founder of TPUSA who was killed in September while speaking on campus, it did not include any appearances by his widow, Erica Kirk, who has been on an extensive media tour since her husband’s death. President Trump did not comment directly on the concert, choosing instead to talk about Bad Bunny’s performance.

“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst shows ever!” Trump wrote on his digital platform Truth Social. “It’s illogical, it’s an insult to the greatness of America, and it does not represent our standards of success, creativity, or excellence. No one understands a word this man says, and the dancing is disgusting, especially to young children watching from all over the United States, and all over the world.” These comments came amid renewed scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The official Democratic Party

The live broadcast of the TPUSA event was preceded by a message from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said the so-called War Department was “proud to support it.” Viewers were also directed to a phone number they could call to “start or join a Turning Point USA chapter.” Comments on the stream were filled with remarks like “protect the kids,” “no NFL on screen,” “God bless America,” and “Jesus.”

Country singer Brantley Gilbert kicked off the concert, using fiery visual effects throughout, tapping a brass-knuckle microphone and performing the song “Dirt Road Anthem,” which he co-wrote but was originally made famous by Jason Aldean in 2010. It features the line “You better watch out for the boys in blue,” a reference to trouble with the police. Then the crowd, some wearing MAGA hats, swayed to two songs by Gabby Barrett, who won the 2021 Female Entertainer of the Year award at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Next came Lee Bryce, who shouted Kirk directly. “Charlie, he gave people microphones so they could say what’s on their mind,” he announced before the premiere of a new song titled “Charlie, he gave people microphones so they could say what’s on their mind.” The lyrics included a reference to gender politics. “I turn on the TV and sit down and watch the evening news/ I’ll be told if I tell my daughter little boys ain’t little girls/ I’ll be in hot water by the river,” he sang. “It’s not easy being country in this country these days,” the chorus noted.