Did Mark Wahlberg tell Bad Bunny to go back to Puerto Rico? Viral video debunked amid Super Bowl controversy

Actor Mark Wahlberg reportedly told Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, to return to Puerto Rico, as claimed in a video shared by @kingtretainment on Instagram on Thursday.

In September, the NFL announced that the Puerto Rican singer will be headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. The news was received with mixed reactions. Following the discourse, Benito joked during his latest SNL monologue that everyone had four months to learn Spanish till his Super Bowl gig.

Conservatives and MAGA supporters criticized Benito's remarks and disapproved of the singer leading the halftime show, especially due to his Puerto Rican origin. While many celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Eiza Gonzalez, Bruno Mars, and Jay-Z himself, extended their support and praise for Bad Bunny, a few others were unhappy.

And now, according to @kingtretainment's viral video, which has garnered over 8K likes so far, actor Mark Wahlberg is one of the displeased ones. The clip begins with a shirtless Mark walking around with a voiceover:

"Mark Wahlberg's bold shot at Bad Bunny ignites the internet."

The narration claims Mark responded after Benito asked Americans to learn Spanish within the next four months:

"Maybe you should go back to Puerto Rico."

Mark was purportedly called a "patriot" by some, while others called him disrespectful. The clip ends with the voiceover leaving a question:

"Is this just pride or something more dangerous?"

However, the video's claim is false. Mark Wahlberg did not ask Bad Bunny to go back to Puerto Rico. Had the actor made one such comment about Benito, it would have been highlighted across social media, and major credible publications would have reported on it.

Several netizens in the comment section of the post noted Mark Wahlberg's alleged racially motivated behavior in the past. According to BBC News, Mark, at the age of 16, was arrested for attacking a Vietnamese man in 1988. The actor also allegedly vilified the man on a racial basis. Years later, Mark had apologized for his actions in a petition.

Regardless of his past, the actor had not spoken about Bad Bunny's upcoming Super Bowl gig.

MAGA upset over Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show

Several MAGA supporters, including Donald Trump himself, were opposed to the NFL's decision to pick Benito as the headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show. During a conversation with Greg Kelly on his show, the anchor told Trump:

"The NFL just chose the Bad Bunny rabbit or whatever his name is. This guy, who hates ICE, he doesn’t like you, he accuses everything he doesn’t like of racism."

Kelly went on to ask the US President if they should boycott the NFL, adding:

"This guy does not seem like a unifying entertainer, and a lot of folks don’t even know who he is."

In response, Trump said:

"I've never heard of him. I don't know who he is. I don't know why they're doing it. It's like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment."

Trump added:

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous."

In a latest attempt to show their discontent with the NFL's decision, slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk's foundation, Turning Point USA, has announced it would host its own halftime show.

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA has announced that they will be airing their own 'All American' Super Bowl Halftime Show in response to the NFL choosing Bad Bunny to be the performer.

President Trump is rumored to make an appearance. pic.twitter.com/kJT1KxfpsN

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 9, 2025

On Thursday, October 9, TPUSA announced on X:

"It's true, Turning Point USA is thrilled to announce The All American Halftime Show."

Set to be held on February 8, 2026, the virtual flyer for the show attached to the post reads, the event would be a celebration of "Faith, Family, & Freedom".

A link to TPUSA's website asked interested individuals to fill out a form to put in requests for performances of any genre, including Americana, Classic Rock, Country, Hip Hop, Pop, and Worship.

However, as a mocking response to Benito asking Americans to learn Spanish, TPUSA also listed "Anything in English" as one of the options.