Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris for president
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images
- Taylor Swift is officially backing Kamala Harris for president.
- Swift's fans were long fired up, with some forming a grassroots group.
- Swift made her announcement shortly after Harris' debate with Trump ended.
It's officially a "Love Story" between Taylor Swift and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The superstar singer endorsed Harris for president on Tuesday night, minutes after the end of the debate between the vice president and former President Donald Trump.
"I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them," Swift wrote on Instagram. "I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos."
She signed off her post with the phrase: "Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady." This was likely a subtle jab at Trump's running mate Sen. JD Vance's now-infamous comment on childless people.
Shortly after Swift's endorsement, Trump popped up for a surprise appearance in the debate spin room.
When questioned on Swift's Harris endorsement, Trump said he had "no idea" about it.
Even before the endorsement, Swift's fans were fired up. A grassroots group dubbed Swifties For Kamala — with over 60,000 followers on X — had formed to mobilize support for the Democratic ticket, complete with friendship bracelet activism.
Swift endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, and accused Donald Trump of "stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency."
She did not make any public statements about the 2016 election, but began speaking up about politics in 2018. Her disdain for Marsha Blackburn, who later won her Tennesee US Senate election, led Swift to get more vocal about her views. In her documentary "Miss Americana," Swift's father, Scott, expresses fears over Swift's safety if she spoke out about the election but she pressed on anyway.
In August, Trump posted AI-generated images of Swift urging people to vote for him on Truth Social.
Swift referenced the AI images in her lengthy endorsement message.
"It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation," she wrote. "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."
The superstar's endorsement came as some of her fans questioned her closeness to Brittany Mahomes, wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Swift has become close to the Mahomeses since she began dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Brittany Mahomes recently liked a post on Trump's Instagram account.
When asked about potential legal ramifications from Swift by Fox Business, Trump said the images were "made up by other people" and called AI "very dangerous."
Many Democrats have been frothing at the mouth for a Swift endorsement given her unique cultural sway and loyal fandom.
There was also some buzz that she might appear at the Democratic National Convention in August, which ultimately proved false.
Other celebrities backing Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, include Stevie Wonder, Oprah, The Chicks, John Legend, and Charlie XCX.