White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has arrived in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl, just days after criticizing halftime performer Bad Bunny.
The 28-year-old, who made history as the youngest White House press secretary, showed off her baby bump in a mirror selfie wearing a burgundy ribbed-knit midi dress with bead-embellished trim from Self-Portrait, which retails for $650.
Leavitt was born and raised in New Hampshire, where allegiance to the New England Patriots comes standard.
The NFL’s decision to tap Bad Bunny as the headline performer for the Super Bowl LX halftime show at Levi’s Stadium has sparked backlash, particularly among conservatives.
Bad Bunny has been outspoken in his criticism of the Trump administration, especially its immigration policies, and has said he avoided touring in the US to protect fans from potential encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
He also used his acceptance speech for Best Album of the Year at this year’s Grammys, becoming the first artist to win the category with a Spanish-language album, to call out ICE.
Donald Trump has since confirmed he will skip the game, opting instead to host a watch party at Mar-a-Lago.
On Thursday, Leavitt was asked whether the watch party would tune in to Bad Bunny’s halftime performance or to Kid Rock, who is set to perform at Turning Point USA’s alternative halftime event.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt touched down in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl LX
Donald Trump will not attend Super Bowl LX on Sunday due to Bad Bunny’s halftime show
Leavitt said: ‘I think the president would much prefer a kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny. I must say that.’ She also criticized his Grammys speech earlier in the week.
The president said last month that he would not attend the NFL’s championship game in Santa Clara, California, saying it was ‘just too far away.’
‘I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter,’ he told the New York Post.
In protest of Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, Turning Point USA, founded by Charlie Kirk, confirmed it will air an alternative broadcast called The All-American Halftime Show, headlined by Kid Rock.
Scheduled to air around 8pm as a direct alternative to Bunny, the TPUSA show will also include Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett.
‘We’re approaching this show like David and Goliath,’ Kid Rock said in a statement on Monday. ‘Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible… or is it?’
In a statement to Fox News, TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said: ‘The All-American Halftime Show is an opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family, and freedom.
‘We can’t wait to watch the incredible show they’re about to put on. We know millions around the country will be watching too.’
On Sunday, Bad Bunny doubled down on his criticisms of ICE in his Grammy speech
Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett will all perform at TPUSA’s rival show
Meanwhile, Bad Bunny recently admitted that he is struggling to sleep leading up to his Super Bowl halftime performance.
The Puerto Rican star, real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, held a press conference about Sunday’s hugely anticipated show in San Francisco where he teased special guests and vowed to pay tribute to his roots.
‘I’ve been working on this show, what we’re gonna do next Sunday, it’s a lot,’ the 31-year-old said. ‘Thinking about the Super Bowl at 4am, that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s been hard to not.
‘I’m happy but I’m just processing, taking one day at a time. I just try to take it easy. Wake up, work out, drink my coffee, try not to think too much about it.
‘Last night I couldn’t sleep, I was thinking about it. I want to think it’s 13 minutes of doing what I love, what I like. I know I’m gonna have fun.’
He added: ‘I wasn’t looking for the album of the year at the Grammys, I wasn’t looking for the Super Bowl halftime show.
‘To be the biggest stage of the world is something that I never thought (possible). You always have to be proud of who you are and feel comfortable being yourself, being proud about your history and where you are from and don’t let that limit yourself.
‘I feel very blessed, every step of my career I get to another level, it’s how I feel. It has been a beautiful and tough journey. I worked for it.’