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In his opening monologue as host of the season premiere of SNL, the popular artist addressed recent statements made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem regarding his scheduled 2026 Super Bowl show.

This young Puerto Rican singer quipped that "everyone" was excited about his planned performance, "including Fox News."

“Happy to return. I’ve hosted twice now and appeared four times,” he said. “I’ll be performing at the Super Bowl halftime. I’m thrilled, and I believe everyone else is too.”

A short video clip followed showing Fox News contributors appearing to endorse Bad Bunny for the presidency.

An Important Statement for Latinos

In his opening remarks, the musician switched to Spanish to speak to "all the Latinos and Latinas in the entire world and here in the United States."

He expressed that his Super Bowl selection was more than a individual success but a win for all people, demonstrating that the Latino contribution to this country cannot be erased.

Afterwards, switching to English, he added, "For those who didn’t catch that, you’ve got a few months to pick up some Spanish."

Political Criticism and Official Warnings

News of the artist’s halftime show sparked outrage among right-wing commentators, particularly from the Homeland Security Secretary.

During a podcast appearance, Noem stated that just U.S. citizens ought to go to the 2026 Super Bowl and cautioned that ICE agents "would be present throughout" the event.

She also claimed the league would "regret its decision" for selecting the performer.

Tour Omission and Recent Success

Previously, Bad Bunny explained that fears of ICE raids at his concerts led to him excluding the United States from his forthcoming world tour.

He just wrapped a lengthy concert series in his home territory, which allegedly drew around 600,000 attendees.

"My residence was beautiful, everyone loved it," he said during his SNL monologue.

Comedy Segments and Political Satire

In other sketches of the season opener, comedian a regular portrayed commentator Pete Hegseth.

That segment featured a rant about the armed forces, sarcastically echoing Hegseth’s prior statements about diversity and body-shaming within the troops.

Additionally, Trump impersonator James Austin Johnson made a short cameo as a "unofficial watchdog" of the program, claiming he was there to ensure "they don’t say anything too mean about me."