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The NFL will not drop Bad Bunny as the star attraction for the Super Bowl halftime show, Commissioner Roger Goodell stated this week.

With this affirmation, Goodell stood by the decision to feature the Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage, a move that sparked negative reactions from Donald Trump and some of his supporters.

Goodell commented on the controversy during his media briefing following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the first time he has spoken out on the appointment, which has garnered worldwide attention, including a surge in streams of Bad Bunny’s music alongside backlash.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell remarked. “I’m not sure we have chosen an artist where we didn’t have pushback or disapproval. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally countless viewers of fans tuning in.”

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of the former leader. He lately opted to do a 31-day residency in his homeland, skipping performances in the mainland US, referencing concerns about the expulsion of Hispanic individuals.

The 31-year-old, who performs in Spanish, is anticipated to do so at the Super Bowl.

“We’re confident it will deliver a great show,” the NFL commissioner said. “He understands the opportunity that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a unifying experience.”

The host team are staging the Super Bowl on February 8 at the Santa Clara venue in the Bay Area. There is uncertainty if the former president plans to attend, though he has made physical attendance at major sporting events a key aspect of his second term.

Trump during a discussion on conservative news network the outlet claimed he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” he said. “I don’t know the reasoning behind it. It’s, like, crazy. And then, they blame it on some promoter they contracted to pick up entertainment. In my opinion it’s completely unreasonable.”

The commissioner supported the choice this week, explaining it was determined because of the artist’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the leading and most popular performers in the world,” Goodell affirmed. “This is exactly what we aim to accomplish. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important component to the overall experience.”