Green Day performed a medley of their biggest hits during the opening ceremony of Super Bowl LX, but they skipped the specific verse in their song American Idiot that usually targets President Donald Trump. The band has been changing the lyrics to that song for a while now, swapping out the original “redneck agenda” line for “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda.” That specific anti-President Trump line didn’t make it onto the Super Bowl stage.
The missing political jab stands in stark contrast to the strong statements lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong made just two nights earlier. At a party held on Friday night before the game, Armstrong didn’t hold back when talking about President Trump and his deportation forces.
Speaking directly to the agents, Armstrong delivered a fiery message. “To all the ICE agents out there, wherever you are,” he told the crowd. “Quit your s—ty-ass job. Quit that s—ty job you have,” he added, according to Mediaite.
Armstrong’s warning about political allies abandoning enforcement agents
He went on to warn them that their political allies won’t protect them forever, calling out several prominent figures by name. “Because when this is over,” he insisted, “and it will be over at some point in time, Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, JD Vance, Donald Trump, they’re gonna drop you like a bad f—ing habit. Come on this side of the line.”
The President has been making headlines recently, including his controversial Penn Station claims that sparked political pushback. During their set, Green Day performed the track but simply skipped the entire verse that contains the adjusted anti-Trump lyric.
That verse starts with the lines, “Don’t wanna be an American idiot / Don’t want a nation under the new mania / And can you hear the sound of hysteria?” This is the section they cut entirely, which is also where the usual “MAGA agenda” change would sit.
The broadcast did feature one moment of censorship during the song. The line “The subliminal mind-f— America” was bleeped out, which is standard for network TV during a family-friendly broadcast like the Super Bowl.
The band’s decision to avoid the confrontation at the game itself likely stems from the intense scrutiny surrounding the Super Bowl entertainment choices this year. President Trump and his supporters have been very vocal critics of the performers, even going so far as to deride the superstar halftime performer Bad Bunny.
There were even plans for a competing, alternative “MAGA-fied” halftime show being floated around. The administration has been facing various foreign policy challenges as well, including Iran’s strategic leverage over military options.
The fact that Green Day chose to skip the verse suggests a careful effort was made to avoid adding fuel to that fire. The Super Bowl is such a massive, mainstream event. When you’re playing to hundreds of millions of people, avoiding a major political storm is often the priority for event organizers.
Published: Feb 9, 2026 01:45 pm