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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 this week.

In doing so, Goodell reaffirmed the choice to place 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 news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the first time he has spoken out on the selection, which has garnered global interest, including a rise in online plays of the artist's catalog alongside opposition.

“The decision was thoroughly considered,” the commissioner remarked. “I doubt we’ve ever selected 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 tuning in.”

The reggaeton star, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of the former leader. He recently opted to hold a 31-day residency in his homeland, avoiding stops in the continental United States, referencing apprehensions about the mass deportation of Latinos.

The artist, who sings primarily in his native language, is anticipated to continue this at the big game.

“We believe it’s going to be a spectacular performance,” the NFL commissioner said. “He is aware of the opportunity that he’s on, and in my view it will prove exciting and a united moment.”

The host team are staging the Super Bowl on 8 February at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if the former president plans to attend, although he has made appearing in person at high-profile games a significant part of his current presidency.

Trump in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax claimed he had “never heard of” the performer.

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It seems absurd. And then, they attribute it to an outside booker they hired to pick up talent. In my opinion it’s completely unreasonable.”

The commissioner defended the choice on Wednesday, explaining it was made because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the top and most popular entertainers globally,” he affirmed. “That’s what we try to achieve. It represents a crucial stage for the league. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”