It might be hard for J.D. Vance and the Trump team to shake this one off.
Here’s everything to know about the mega pop star’s endorsement, which she shared with her 283 million followers on Instagram.
Who Is Taylor Swift Endorsing?
Taylor Swift formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after the two presidential candidates stepped off the debate stage in Philadelphia, PA.
In a lengthy statement on Instagram on Tuesday, September 10, the “Karma” singer expressed her support while also criticizing the Republican candidate and his team for using AI-generated images with her likeness earlier this summer.
“Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight,” Swift began in the post. “If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.”
She continued, “Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. 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.”
Donald Trump previously shared the AI-generated images on his Truth Social platform.
Why Is Swift Choosing the Harris-Walz Ticket?
Besides the AI reason stated, Swift described Harris as “a steady-handed, gifted leader” and that she has been “so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate” Gov. Tim Walz “who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
Soon after, Walz appeared on MSNBC, where the host Rachel Maddow read Swift’s endorsement to him in its entirety. “I am incredibly grateful, first of all, to Taylor Swift,” Walz said, putting his hand over his heart. “I say that also as a cat owner — a fellow cat owner.”
The singer emphasized her decision, concluding, “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.”
Trump was asked to react to the news of Swift’s endorsement of his opponent—which now has almost 6 million likes. “I have no idea,” the GOP nominee said in response.
Why Did She Sign Her Endorsement as “Childless Cat Lady”
The 14-time Grammy winner included a photo of herself holding one of her cats and signed the post with “Childless cat lady” — a direct jab at Trump’s running mate, Vance, whose comments resurfaced earlier this year.
Vance had complained that America is being run “by a bunch of childless cat ladies, who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made,” while referring to Harris, who has two stepchildren through her marriage to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Did Swift Endorse Biden Before?
After expressing regret for not speaking out more against Trump during his first run in 2016, the singer has taken a more active political stance, speaking out on issues such as abortion access. Similar to this year’s later-than-expected endorsement, Swift endorsed Joe Biden closer to the election, on October 7, 2020.
In 2020, Swift’s endorsement of Biden and Harris generated significant backlash from conservatives, who urged her to keep her music career apolitical.
In November 2023, a national NBC News poll found that 40% of registered voters had positive views of Swift, while 16% had negative views. A majority of Democrats (53%) viewed her positively, while 28% of Republicans felt the same.
While there has been much speculation in the media this year about whether Swift would publicly announce her endorsement, Swifties have quickly rallied behind Harris.
Swifties for Kamala, a fan group with no official affiliation with either woman, expressed their excitement. “We’ve had no doubt that Taylor would endorse at the right time and are excited about the momentum she will bring to this campaign,” Irene Kim, the group’s co-founder, said in a statement.