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America's top football league will not drop the global music icon as the star attraction for the Super Bowl halftime show, Commissioner Roger Goodell stated on Wednesday.

In doing so, Goodell reaffirmed the decision to place the Puerto Rican artist on the most-watched platform, a move that sparked negative reactions from the former president and some of his supporters.

Goodell commented on the controversy during his news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the initial instance he has publicly remarked on the selection, which has garnered worldwide attention, including a surge in online plays of the artist's catalog alongside backlash.

“The decision was thoroughly considered,” the commissioner remarked. “I doubt we’ve ever selected an performer where we avoided some blowback or criticism. It’s challenging to do when you have truly countless viewers of fans that are watching.”

The reggaeton star, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a outspoken critic of Trump. He recently opted to do a month-long concert series in his homeland, avoiding performances in the continental United States, referencing apprehensions about the expulsion of Latinos.

The 31-year-old, who performs in Spanish, is anticipated to continue this at the big game.

“We believe it’s going to be a spectacular performance,” the NFL commissioner said. “He understands the opportunity that he has, and in my view it will prove exciting and a unifying experience.”

The host team are staging the Super Bowl on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. There is uncertainty if the former president plans to attend, although he has made physical attendance at major sporting events a key aspect of his current presidency.

The political figure in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” he stated. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. Additionally, they blame it on an outside booker they contracted to select entertainment. In my opinion it’s completely unreasonable.”

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

“He’s one of the top and best-loved performers in the world,” Goodell said. “This is exactly what we try to achieve. It represents a crucial platform for the league. It serves as a key component to the overall experience.”