On August 6, 2024, an X post suggested that pop star
Taylor Swift
had subtly endorsed U.S. Vice President
Kamala Harris
for the upcoming
presidential election
. The post read: “Taylor Swift just low-key endorsed Kamala Harris and MAGA is losing their minds.”
This claim quickly gained traction, amassing over 3 million views, 1,000 comments, and 38,000 likes.
It was widely circulated, with many users interpreting a photo of Swift as an “unofficial
endorsement
” of Harris.
However, Taylor Swift has not officially endorsed Kamala Harris. There is no evidence that Swift has publicly supported any candidate for the 2024 election. The photo in question, posted on Swift’s official Instagram account, featured images from her Eras Tour concerts in Warsaw, Poland. One particular photo, showing Swift in a sparkling leotard with a pink guitar, led some to speculate that a shadowy figure in the background might represent Harris, suggesting a subtle endorsement.
In her caption, Swift expressed her excitement about her Warsaw concerts, marking her first performances in Poland, and hinted at future tour stops in Vienna. Despite the speculation, another X user clarified that the silhouette was actually one of Swift’s backup performers. The performer’s costume, resembling a tailored pantsuit, was part of the show’s choreography, not an endorsement.
Swift has expressed liberal views aligning with the Democratic Party but did not publicly endorse any candidate until 2020. In October of that year, she endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in V Magazine, stating her support for their leadership as a path to healing America.
In the wake of Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race and endorsement of Harris, Emerald Medrano, a Taylor Swift fan, called for Swifties to support Harris. Medrano’s post, urging fellow Swifties to campaign for Harris and oppose Project 2025, garnered significant attention and led to the formation of
Swifties4Kamala
. This coalition quickly grew to over 180,000 followers across social media platforms.
Swifties4Kamala’s activities include sharing Swift-themed videos and memes involving Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, and promoting volunteer opportunities. The coalition aims to energise voters through fandom and infuse politics with enjoyment.
Swifties4Kamala’s rapid expansion highlights the growing political influence of fandoms. Following K-pop fans’ success in political activism, Swift’s endorsement is highly sought after, and her influence could significantly impact voter turnout.
Despite speculation, Swift has not endorsed Harris yet, but many in the Swiftie community, including activists like Irene Kim and Rohan Regan, are leading efforts to support Harris based on their political convictions and connection to Swift’s fanbase.
Swifties for Kamala
Earlier, Swifties, the ubiquitous term to describe Taylor Swift fans had attacked
JD Vancefor disparaging “childless, cat ladies”.
Hell hath no fury like a Swiftie scorned. JD Vance learned this the hard way after making disparaging comments about “childless cat ladies” following Joe Biden’s endorsement of Kamala Harris. In July 2021, Vance appeared on Fox News to discuss a contentious speech he had delivered to the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. In his speech, he criticised several prominent Democratic leaders, labelling them as the “childless left” and asserting that they had “no physical commitment to the future of this country.”
During the Fox interview, Vance said, “We are effectively run in this country, via the Democrats and our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable with their own lives and the choices they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too. It’s just a basic fact if you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC — the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children. How does it make any sense that we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?”
Vance suggested that a healthier ruling class would be composed of people with children, who, in his view, would have a greater stake in the country’s future.
This comment particularly irked fans of Taylor Swift, who is a single woman and an avid cat lover. Swift has three cats—Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button—named after her favourite TV characters and movies. Her social media is often filled with pictures and videos of her feline companions, which have become popular among her fans.
One user reacted: “Taylor Swift is a self-made billionaire who has generously donated to every city on her tour. JD Vance, on the other hand, started a charity that didn’t help a single drug addict.” Another eagerly anticipated the fallout: “I can’t wait for the full repercussions of JD’s cat lady comments. It’s coming…” A third added: “Taylor Swift would annihilate JD Vance in a debate.”
MAGA supporters have circulated a conspiracy theory alleging that Taylor Swift is being used by the Democratic Party to influence the 2024 presidential election. This theory suggests that Swift’s high-profile presence and relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce are part of a coordinated effort to sway young voters towards Democratic candidates. The theory gained momentum particularly after Swift was named Time magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year, with some right-wing influencers claiming this recognition was orchestrated to boost her political influence. They argue that Swift’s popularity is being leveraged to promote Democratic agendas and enhance voter turnout.
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