Former President Donald Trump has sharply criticized pop superstar Taylor Swift after she publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 US presidential election.
Swift, who has more than 283 million Instagram followers, announced her support for Harris and running mate Tim Walz in a social media post, which prompted a swift response from Trump.
During a phone interview with Fox News, the former president dismissed the endorsement, suggesting that Swift would face consequences for her political stance.
“I was not a Taylor fan,” Trump said.
She’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace. It was just a question of time; she couldn’t possibly endorse Biden. She’s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat.
Trump’s comments are the latest in the ongoing political back-and-forth between celebrities and politicians.
His response came just hours after Swift posted on Instagram, sharing her decision to vote for Harris in the 2024 election.
In the post, Swift explained her support for Harris, citing the vice president’s leadership and commitment to issues like LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive health, and equality.
Swift also referenced recent AI-generated images falsely showing her supporting Trump, which prompted her to clarify her political stance publicly.
Swift’s announcement of her voting intentions quickly gained traction, with fans and critics alike discussing the impact of her endorsement on the upcoming election.
Trump’s assertion that Swift would “pay a price” for backing Harris reflects his longstanding disdain for the singer, who has publicly opposed him in past elections.
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Swift’s influence and political involvement
This is not the first time Swift has entered the political arena, but her endorsement of Harris marks the first time she has spoken about the 2024 election.
Swift previously endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election, but that came just a month before election day.
This time, her public stance has arrived earlier in the election cycle, potentially amplifying its impact.
Trump’s dismissal of Swift’s influence mirrors his past comments about celebrities entering politics, often questioning their relevance in shaping public opinion.
However, political analysts suggest that Swift’s massive platform and engaged fan base, known as “Swifties,” could have a tangible effect on voter mobilization, especially among younger demographics.
Kamala Harris’s campaign was quick to capitalize on the endorsement. In response to Swift’s post, the Harris team launched “Harris-Walz friendship bracelets” on social media, a reference to the friendship bracelets popularized by fans during Swift’s sold-out Eras tour.
The campaign’s lighthearted response is a clear effort to tap into the cultural influence Swift holds over her fan base, with the bracelets available for purchase on the official campaign website.
Trump’s comparison to Brittany Mahomes
During his Fox News interview, Trump also took the opportunity to compare Swift to another prominent public figure, Brittany Mahomes, the wife of NFL star Patrick Mahomes.
Brittany Mahomes had recently liked one of Trump’s social media posts, leading to a wave of attention.
“I actually like [Brittany] Mahomes better, if you want to know the truth—she’s a big Trump fan,” Trump remarked, attempting to draw a contrast between Mahomes and Swift.
Trump’s comments on Swift also echo his larger disdain for celebrities who publicly back his political opponents.
While Trump has previously courted celebrity endorsements, he has often been critical of high-profile figures who oppose his political agenda.
