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America's top football league will not remove the global music icon as the star attraction for the prestigious mid-game entertainment, Commissioner Roger Goodell stated on Wednesday.

In doing so, Goodell reaffirmed the decision to place the Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage, a move that drew negative reactions from Donald Trump and his political base.

Goodell commented on the controversy during his media briefing following the league's autumn gathering. This marks the first time he has publicly remarked on the selection, which has attracted worldwide attention, including a surge in online plays of Bad Bunny’s music alongside opposition.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell remarked. “I’m not sure we have chosen an performer where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s challenging to do when you have literally countless viewers of people that are watching.”

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of the former leader. He lately decided to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, skipping performances in the continental United States, citing apprehensions about the mass deportation of Latinos.

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

“We believe it will deliver a spectacular performance,” the NFL commissioner commented. “He understands the opportunity that he has, and I think it’s going to be thrilling and a united experience.”

The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Super Bowl on 8 February at the Santa Clara venue in the Bay Area. There is uncertainty if Trump intends to attend, though he has made physical attendance at high-profile games a significant part of his current presidency.

The political figure during a discussion on right-leaning media the outlet said he had “no knowledge of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” he said. “I can’t comprehend the reasoning behind it. It’s, like, crazy. And then, they blame it on an outside booker they hired to select entertainment. I think it’s completely unreasonable.”

Goodell defended the decision this week, explaining it was determined because of the artist’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the top and best-loved performers in the world,” Goodell affirmed. “This is exactly what we aim to accomplish. It’s an important platform for the league. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”