While performing in front of stadiums of their fans, Green Day hasn’t shied away from sharing their thoughts on President Donald Trump or his aggressive employment of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (aka ICE). So, will this American punk band use their stage at Super Bowl LX to make a political statement?
Here’s what we know so far.
Green Day is in for the Super Bowl; Trump is out.
On Jan. 18, news hit that Green Day had been chosen to play the opening ceremony Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. According to ABC News, “The opening ceremony will take place ahead of the pregame entertainment, in which Charlie Puth is to perform the national anthem, Brandi Carlile will sing ‘America the Beautiful,’ and Coco Jones will deliver ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.'”
ABC also reported that Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of the Bay Area band, declared, “We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard! We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!”
While Green Day fans celebrated online, President Trump told the New York Post in an Oval Office interview that he would not be attending Super Bowl LX, citing Green Day and Bad Bunny as a reason. “I’m anti-them,” Trump said, “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
Green Day has been denouncing Trump’s “MAGA agenda” in live shows.
Tré Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Mike Dirnt of Green Day perform onstage on January 17, 2026 in Inglewood, California.
Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
This punk band has a history of speaking out on politics, most powerfully with American Idiot. Their critically heralded 2004 album criticized the “redneck agenda” of President George W. Bush and made clear the band’s opposition to the Iraq War.
To that end, Green Day has been singing an altered version of the song “American Idiot,” to show their rejection of Trump and his politics. Billboard reported that on Sept. 20, 2019, while performing at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Armstrong sang, “I’m not a part of a MAGA agenda,” in place of the original lyric, “I’m not a part of a redneck agenda.”
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On their Saviors tour in 2024, Green Day played the whole of the American Idiot album to celebrate its 20th anniversary. And the “MAGA” lyric change was consistent, as seen in videos from fans across the U.S. — and witnessed by this reporter at a concert in New York City. (NYC may be Trump’s hometown, but the audience in Citi Field cheered in excitement over the lyric change.)
On Jan. 17, 2025, the day before Green Day was announced as a Super Bowl performance, the band played the 2026 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO at Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. The fan account greendayinc posted a video of the end of the performance, which contained a political message in Spanish. (Could this be a nod to Bad Bunny’s assurance he’ll be singing in Spanish at the big game?)
Finishing out their final song for the tour, “Good Riddance,” Armstrong says to the crowd, “Please look out for your neighbors. Make sure you take care of each other. Make sure you love one another. Protect each other.”
Then, after finishing the song, he shouts, “Chinga la migra,” which roughly translates to “Fuck ICE.”
So, will Green Day say something during the opening ceremony of the Super Bowl, with the whole nation watching?
At this time, Green Day members Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool have not made a public announcement about their plans for the big game performance. However, as speaking out against political violence and Trump has been a part of their live performances for years, we predict Green Day will say something.
Will it be as bold as dropping an f-bomb on live TV? Will it be a lyric targeted at Trump and his MAGA supporters? Will it be a message to support your neighbor or to “be good,” in reference to the protest pins won by celebrities at the Golden Globes, drawing attention to the killing of Minnesota resident Renee Good?
We’ll all find out on Feb. 8.
