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America's top football league has no plans to drop Bad Bunny as the headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show, League chief Roger Goodell announced this week.

With this affirmation, Goodell stood by the choice to feature the Puerto Rican artist on the most-watched platform, a move that drew negative reactions from Donald Trump and his political base.

Goodell addressed the controversy during his media briefing following the league's autumn gathering. This marks the initial instance he has spoken out on the selection, which has attracted worldwide attention, including a surge in online plays of the artist's catalog alongside backlash.

“The decision was thoroughly considered,” Goodell said. “I doubt we have chosen an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or disapproval. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of fans that are watching.”

The reggaeton star, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a outspoken critic of the former leader. He lately decided to hold a month-long concert series in his homeland, skipping stops in the mainland US, referencing apprehensions about the mass deportation of Hispanic individuals.

The artist, who sings in Spanish, is anticipated to do so at the big game.

“We believe it’s going to be a great show,” the NFL commissioner commented. “He understands the opportunity that he has, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”

The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Super Bowl on February 8 at the Santa Clara venue in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if the former president intends to attend, although he has made physical attendance at major sporting events a significant part of his current presidency.

Trump in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax said he had “no knowledge of” the performer.

“I’m unfamiliar with who he is,” Trump stated. “I can’t comprehend the reasoning behind it. It’s, like, crazy. And then, they blame it on some promoter they contracted to pick up talent. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

The commissioner defended the decision this week, explaining it was made because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.

“He ranks among the leading and best-loved performers in the world,” Goodell affirmed. “That’s what we aim to accomplish. It represents a crucial platform for us. It serves as a key component to the overall experience.”