Donald Trump's Online Attack Against Rihanna About Her Super Bowl 2023 Performance
As music fans around the world geared up for Rihanna's performance at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 12 — her first live performance since 2017 — former president Donald Trump let us know he is no fan of hers. The "Desperado" singer first confirmed she would be headlining the highly anticipated show back in September 2022 after sharing an Instagram photo of herself holding a football. In the time that has since passed, Rihanna, who welcomed her first child with A$AP Rocky in May 2022, has opened up about her decision to take on the Super Bowl gig. "You could get real comfortable being at home as a mom, [so this is] challenging myself to do something that I've never done before in my career. I have to live up to that challenge," she told ET in November 2022.
Outside of being a challenge, Rihanna hoped she can inspire many, including her son, with her Super Bowl performance. "It's important for me to do this this year. It's important for representation. It's important for my son to see that," she said in a press conference (via People). "That's really important. That's key, for people to see the possibilities. And I'm honored to be here. I'm honored to be doing this, this year."
But while news of Rihanna's return to the music scene has stirred up excitement in many of her fans, Donald Trump believes the Barbadian singer is in fact, not worth the hype.
In Donald Trump's words, Rihanna is talentless
Taking to his Truth Social platform on February 9, Donald Trump took a jab at Rihanna while implying that the nine-time Grammy winner is talentless and overrated. "Without her 'Stylist,' she'd be NOTHING, " Trump wrote. "Bad everything, and NO TALENT!" The former president's comments came in response to another post on Truth Social where Ronny Jackson, Trump's physician at the White House and a United States congressman called out the singer for posing in front of a graffiti-painted car that read "F*** Donald Trump" back in 2020. "She's made a career of spewing degenerate filth while badmouthing America every chance she gets. Why is the NFL showcasing this crap? Rihanna SHOULD NOT be the halftime performer!!" Jackson added.
But while Rihanna is yet to (and most likely never will) respond to either Trump or Jackson, the singer has, on multiple occasions, made it known she is no fan of the former president. After it was revealed Rihanna's hit 2007 song "Don't Stop the Music," was played at one of Trump's rallies in 2018, the Barbadian singer wasted no time expressing her displeasure. "Not for much longer," she tweeted. "Me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies."
Such is the Barbadian hitmaker's dislike for Trump that she even took him to court over the use of "Don't Stop The Music" at his rallies, per Forbes. Filed in November 2018, the cease-and-desist order stated that, as the singer never consented to Trump's use of her music, his doing so "creates a false impression that Ms. Fenty is affiliated with, connected to or otherwise associated with Trump." The singer has also in the past called Trump "an immoral pig" for championing anti-immigration laws during his presidency.
Rihanna's war of words with Donald Trump goes way back
While Rihanna may not have addressed Donald Trump's tirade against her, the "Lift Me Up" singer has fired her share of past criticisms against the former president. In August 2019, after Trump called the El Paso, Texas mass shooting "an act of cowardice," Rihanna blasted him in an Instagram post, writing, "Um... Donald, you spelt 'terrorism' wrong!"
Two months later, speaking to Vogue, Rihanna called the 45th POTUS "the most mentally ill human being in America right now." Once again addressing Trump's handling of mass shootings (especially ones perpetrated by White men), the SAVAGE X FENTY boss stated, "People are being murdered by war weapons that they legally purchase." She continued on to characterize it "a slap in the face" when Trump brushed off gun violence as something less serious.
Though she didn't get political during her Super Bowl 2023 halftime performance, Rihanna totally shook the table with the on-stage confirmation of her second pregnancy. However, many viewers were left wanting more from the show. Trump wasted no time jumping on the hate-train, writing on his Truth Social account, "Rihanna gave, without question, the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history." 45 cited "foul and insulting language" as his reason for disliking Rih's show. But once again getting petty, he added, "So much for her 'Stylist!'"