WSJ What’s News (Feb 6, 2026)

Episode: Why MAGA Is Fuming Over Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show
Host: Luke Vargas
Guests: Sabrina Rodriguez (Politics Reporter), Joshua Robinson (Sports Reporter), Matt Grossman (Economics Reporter), with statements from Brian Olssofsky (Amazon CFO), Carolyn Levitt (White House Press Secretary), and Margarita Stancati (Middle East Reporter)

Episode Overview

This episode weaves through the day’s business headlines—including a selloff in tech stocks, Amazon’s AI spending woes, and Stellantis’s EV overestimation—before diving into the off-field controversies surrounding Super Bowl weekend. At the heart is the political backlash against Bad Bunny’s halftime show, exploring why MAGA influencers are enraged and how culture, politics, and celebrity activism are colliding leading up to the big game. The show also previews the Winter Olympics and the U.S. role, wrapping up with the broader theme of sports, society, and politics intersecting on a global stage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Business Headlines & Market Turmoil

• Amazon’s Plunge:
  • Amazon stock falls 7% after announcing a 60% increase in AI spending, far above expectations.
  • Cloud computing growth lags behind competitors Microsoft and Alphabet.
  • CFO Brian Olssofsky tries to calm investors:
    • “This isn’t some sort of quixotic top line grab. … We have confidence that these investments will yield strong returns on invested capital.” (01:37, Brian Olssofsky)
  • Result: Investor skepticism triggers a tech stock selloff globally (Korea halts trading).
  • Related: US software stocks plainge after Anthropic releases its upgraded AI model.
  • Stellantis Trouble:
    • Share price hits lows not seen since 2020 after writing off $26B in EV investments, outpacing similar losses at Ford and GM.
• Economic Data Delays:
  • January jobs report delayed due to a recent government shutdown—the fourth out of five such interruptions.
  • Matt Grossman, WSJ economics reporter:
    • “We seem to be in a world now where occasional government shutdown is the rule rather than the exception.” (03:03, Matt Grossman)
    • Implication: Investors must not only worry about the data, but also the timing of its release.

2. Policy Moves & International Tension

• Trump Rx Website Launch:
  • New government-run drug buying site offers discounted prices on about 40 medicines, mainly benefits uninsured Americans (~27 million people).
  • Dr. Mehmet Oz at launch:
    • “You should not be buying drugs anymore going forward without at least checking to see if those medications are available at these discounted prices on TrumpRx.gov.” (04:16, Dr. Mehmet Oz)
• Iran Nuclear Deal Talks Collapse:
  • Negotiations end after just 90 minutes.
  • Heavy U.S. military presence in the region following a mass killing of protesters in Iran and Trump's threats of strikes.
  • Margarita Stancati, WSJ Middle East Reporter, on rising dissent:
    • “People are still really, really angry and I think it’ll be really difficult for the government to overcome this.” (04:58, Margarita Stancati)
    • Main trigger now: January’s mass killings, not just economic hardship.

3. Super Bowl Halftime: Bad Bunny’s Controversy

• Politics Reporter Sabrina Rodriguez Explains the Uproar (06:41 – 10:55)
  • Why the Backlash?
    • Bad Bunny’s public stance against Trump’s immigration agenda, his Spanish-language-only music, and gender-fluid presentation have ignited conservative backlash in MAGA circles since his halftime headliner announcement.
    • Recent Grammy speech (“ice out”)—a protest slogan against ICE—reignited controversy.
    • Bad Bunny skipped mainland U.S. concerts citing safety concerns for fans; held a residency in Puerto Rico instead.
  • White House Response:
    • Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt criticized celebrity activism:
      • “It’s very ironic and frankly, sad to see celebrities … demonize law enforcement, public servants who work for the United States government to enforce our nation’s laws.” (08:35, Carolyn Levitt)
  • Public and Political Impact
    • Rodriguez:
      • “Polls show that a majority of Americans feel that ICE has gone too far and people are souring on how Trump is handling immigration. … However, is it something that’s gonna cause other people to shift their views? That’s not necessarily what’s going to happen.” (09:11, Sabrina Rodriguez)
    • The moment reflects growing divides, but likely won’t decisively sway national opinion.
  • Democratic Dilemma
    • Democrats remain divided on how forcefully to push immigration reform or ICE abolition, wary of repeating the dynamics that favored Trump in 2024.
    • “They want a humane policy while enforcing immigration laws … a lot of conversations in Washington right now about reforming ICE, but the scope varies from Democrat to Democrat.” (10:04, Sabrina Rodriguez)

4. Winter Olympics—Sports, Politics, and American Hopes

• Opening Ceremony in Milan-Cortina:
  • Uncertainty over reception of American athletes and dignitaries (VP J.D. Vance, Sec. Marco Rubio present).
  • Joshua Robinson, WSJ sports reporter:
    • Excitement over record-possible medal tally for Americans.
    • Illya Malinin (the “quad god”) is favorite for figure skating gold thanks to his quadruple Axel.
    • Lindsey Vaughn’s dramatic return at 41, racing after a recent ACL tear against doctors’ advice.
    • “Can she medal? Experts think she might.” (11:33, Joshua Robinson)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Amazon’s CFO on AI Spend:
  • “We have confidence that these investments will yield strong returns … as we did with our core AWS business.” (01:37, Brian Olssofsky)
• On the New Normal of Delayed Economic Data:
  • “[Government shutdowns] give investors another thing they have to keep on their minds—not just what are the reports going to say, but when are they going to come?” (03:03, Matt Grossman)
• Trump Rx Launch Pitch:
  • “You should not be buying drugs anymore going forward without at least checking … TrumpRx.gov.” (04:16, Dr. Mehmet Oz)
• Iran’s Rising Public Defiance:
  • “Mourning families are shouting anti-regime slogans at funerals … People are still really, really angry.” (04:58, Margarita Stancati)
• White House Press Secretary on Bad Bunny:
  • “It’s very ironic and frankly, sad to see celebrities … demonize law enforcement, public servants.” (08:35, Carolyn Levitt)
• Sabrina Rodriguez on the Politics of Pop:
  • “Polls show … Americans feel that ICE has gone too far and people are souring … However, is it something that’s gonna cause other people to shift their views? That’s not necessarily …” (09:11, Sabrina Rodriguez)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Market & Business News: 00:33 – 05:38
• Super Bowl & Bad Bunny Controversy: 06:41 – 10:55
• Olympics Preview: 11:01 – 12:17

Takeaway

This episode captures the volatility of not only financial markets but the American cultural landscape ahead of one of sports’ biggest weekends. In-depth looks at Amazon and Stellantis developments, plus the politicization surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show, reveal how pop culture and politics now collide in unprecedented ways—with both sides of the debate working to harness public attention and influence. The build-up to the Winter Olympics adds another layer of how national narratives and global spectacles interplay, making for a charged, timely listen.