When Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race, it appears former President Donald Trump was caught off guard. Swift’s announcement, coming shortly after a debate between Harris and Trump, triggered a swift response from the former president, who seemed less than pleased by the pop star’s political move.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump downplayed Swift’s endorsement and expressed his lack of enthusiasm for the singer. Despite previously sharing AI-generated images falsely depicting Swift’s support for his campaign, Trump admitted he was never a fan of the artist. “I actually like Mrs. [Brittany] Mahomes much better, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said, referring to Brittany Mahomes, wife of NFL star Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes is linked to Swift through her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. Brittany Mahomes had previously “liked” one of Trump’s social media posts, which had stirred controversy, especially after Swift was seen embracing her at the U.S. Open.
Trump’s comments, aired on Fox, highlighted his disappointment that Swift, who he suggested had always leaned Democratic, was not endorsing him. “You couldn’t possibly endorse [Joe] Biden,” Trump said. “You look at Biden, you couldn’t possibly endorse him, but she’s a very liberal person, she seems to always endorse a Democrat. And she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace.”
Swift’s endorsement was made public through an Instagram post on Tuesday night, where she expressed her support for Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz. In her statement, Swift emphasized her belief that Harris would lead the country with “calm and not chaos” if elected.
“Recently, I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site,” Swift wrote. “It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”
Swift’s post further addressed the controversy surrounding the AI-generated images and clarified her political stance. She praised Harris and Walz for their advocacy on LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, and other progressive issues. Swift also urged her followers, particularly first-time voters, to register and vote early, providing information and links in her story for voter registration and early voting dates.
The pop star concluded her post with a nod to past comments by Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance. Vance had made disparaging remarks about single women in the Democratic party, which Swift referenced by signing off with “Childless Cat Lady,” a term Vance used in a 2021 interview that drew widespread criticism.
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Swift’s endorsement comes after a period of notable influence and impact, highlighted by her record-breaking Eras Tour. Her recent social media efforts, including a September 2023 post encouraging voter registration, reportedly led to over 35,000 new registrations, according to NPR.
The debate over the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements continues, but Swift’s substantial cultural and economic influence makes her support a significant factor in the 2024 election landscape. Whether her backing of Harris and Walz will translate into tangible political results remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly adds a high-profile endorsement to the campaign.
