What to Know
There was a time when Kid Rock wasn’t the unofficial voice of rock for the Republican party, but that time is apparently far behind us. After he performed at the 2024 Republican National Convention and at Donald Trump‘s inauguration in early 2025, he was cemented as someone who Republicans and right-wing politicians are now forced to love, or pretend to love, for the foreseeable future.
Kid Rock is also the headlining act at the Turning Point USA Super Bowl halftime show in February 2026, and when someone posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) of Kid Rock performing at the RNC, there were mixed comments. In the video, JD Vance nods his head enthusiastically along to the music, which Kid Rock performs with his song playing as a backup track. Usha Vance, at his side, looks miserable. Don’t you just love when karma comes back in such a natural way?
Did Republicans really like Kid Rock this much before?
The TPUSA Superbowl halftime show headliner……it's over for Bad Bunny I fear. pic.twitter.com/S1PdzgwGJI
— Covie (@covie_93) February 3, 2026
After the video was posted on X with what is likely a cheeky and sarcastic caption about Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl halftime performer, being inferior to Kid Rock, others responded to the post with thoughts of their own.
“I do find it hilarious that every right-winger has to pretend to enjoy f–king Kid Rock’s horrendously bad music,” one user responded to the X post.
Seriously, when did Republicans start to cling to Kid Rock as an aging would-be rocker that apparently represents the whole of America? Sure, he has the song “All Summer Long,” but it’s really more of a newer take on the already established “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Oh that’s right, he has bangers like “Bawitdaba” in his repertoire, my bad.
Someone else commented, “Imagine having to pretend this is awesome.”
Ever since before Trump was elected for his second term, Kid Rock was one of the celebrities that clung to him. The singer was spotted with Trump in the Oval Office and outside of it, on the golf course. It’s clear that he is important to Trump, but could that be because no other mainstream musician wants to be so closely and permanently attached to Trump?
“What an ELECTRIC performance!” Another user commented about the lackluster video of Kid Rock at the RNC. “I haven’t seen lip syncing like that since Ashlee Simpson! Seriously though, good on the proud and conservative families for tuning into this instead of the Super Bowl halftime show, because of spite. Whole new generation of cry babies en route.”
For a group of people who often target liberals and left-wing individuals for being “snowflakes” and sensitive over offensive slurs and language, the right-wing Americans and politicians really are pulling out all the stops to make sure they get what they want, as in an all-white halftime show. All that’s missing is someone stomping their feet and demanding they get what they want. If Kid Rock is what they want though (gag), then they’ve got him.
