Zach Bryan has sparked fresh debate around Super Bowl halftime politics after publicly criticising Kid Rock’s alternative show organised by Turning Point USA, calling it “embarrassing” and “cringe” before deleting the posts.

The country singer shared his reaction shortly after the 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Sunday, Feb. 8, which was headlined by Bad Bunny. 

While the official halftime performance aired, Turning Point USA promoted its own All-American Halftime Show, led by Kid Rock. 

Bryan, 29, mocked the idea in a now-deleted Instagram Story, posting a snap of someone watching Kid Rock’s performance on a phone while physically blocking Bad Bunny’s show on screen.

“What kid rock actually thinks is happening across America,” Bryan wrote over the picture, according to a screenshot later shared on X.

The post quickly drew backlash. 

In a follow-up Story, also later deleted, Bryan shared a direct message he received from a social media user accusing him of selling out. 

“You were my favorite artist. Now you are nothing but another dumba– out of touch elitist,” the message read.

Bryan responded bluntly, making his stance clear regardless of political alignment. 

“I don’t care what side you’re on, a bunch of adults throwing temper tantrums and their own halftime show is embarrassing as hell and the most cringe s— on the planet,” he wrote over the screenshot.

Turning Point USA had advertised its event as a “family-friendly, values-driven” alternative aimed at viewers looking for “uplifting, patriotic entertainment.” 

Kid Rock, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, performed alongside country artists Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert and Gabby Barrett.

The performance later drew criticism of its own, with viewers accusing Kid Rock of lip-syncing during Bawitdaba from his Devil Without a Cause album. 

The 55-year-old musician, born Robert James Ritchie, addressed the claims during a Feb. 10 appearance on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle.

“It was out of sync,” Kid Rock said, rejecting the accusation. He added that if the performance had been pre-recorded, “It would’ve been super easy to sync it up if it was prerecorded.” 

Explaining further, he said, “I’m jumping around the stage like a rabid monkey, rapping my song, and I’m taking breaths, and my DJ is filling in the other parts of it… I even told them when I saw the rough cut, I was like, ‘You guys got to work on that sync. It’s off.’” 

He later described it as a technical issue, saying production had tried to fix it but found it difficult.

Bryan was not the only artist to weigh in after the Super Bowl. 

Kacey Musgraves also praised Bad Bunny’s halftime performance while taking a pointed swipe at Kid Rock. 

“Well. That made me feel more proudly American than anything Kid Rock has ever done,” she wrote on X.

While Bryan has since removed his posts, the reaction highlights how this year’s Super Bowl halftime programming extended beyond music, reigniting conversations about politics, patriotism and how artists choose to respond when entertainment and ideology collide.