Probably more than a few men in their late 70s would proudly say they’re “Swifties”—as in fans of pop singer Taylor Swift. However, former President Donald Trump isn’t one of them, not by a long shot.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, the former president wrote, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” without going into any specific reason, although her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris last week likely is what spurred Trump to make his view clear.
The question, however, is why he waited several days to make the statement, but also what—if anything—he expected he sought to get from airing his personal opinion about the recent Grammy Award winner. Last Wednesday, he told Fox & Friends that he “was not a Taylor Swift fan,” and expected that she would endorse Harris.
“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,” Trump said, suggesting that her public endorsement might drive away Conservative voters.
That fact may be true as there have been some on social media who have said they’re through with the pop singer, but the story seems to have passed. Now Trump’s post may have only served to energize the masses of Swifties—but likely not in his favor!
“Trump clearly understands her influence—and his ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT’ post could be interpreted as a defensive or one-dimensional move aimed at influencing his followers. As their leader, he perceives himself as having complete control over his cohort,” explained technology industry analyst Susan Schreiner of C4 Trends.
“With Taylor Swift, Trump has met his greatest match yet,” Schreiner suggested. “Beyond a fight, he’s picking a battle with a Titan.”
It is still possible that as a former TV celebrity Trump may think his reach is as great as Swift’s, and he may feel to see that her appeal reaches potential segments of the electorate that both campaigns are eager to attract—namely women, young people, and most importantly, people who don’t pay attention to politics very much.
“If anything, Trump has underscored why he’s not the candidate for Swifties,” Schreiner suggested. “Trump has drawn attention to his policies and statements that could motivate people to vote—against him. Many of Swift’s fans are already outraged by the loss of access to abortion care and other rights following Dobbs. They also understand that implementing Project 2025 could mean women being demoted to second-class citizens.”
Swift Response
Although Taylor Swift hasn’t responded to Trump’s post, many of her fans have, and #ILoveTaylorSwift has been trending on Monday morning—again highlighting her reach.
“Taylor Swift’s influence on social media is undeniable. Especially with younger generations who are newer voters,” said celebrity business strategist, stylist, and creator Nina Vargas. “Her call for voter registration has worked and had an influence, and that’s the true power of a celebrity with cultural reach.”
Trump may have the comments before the second assassination attempt on his life and may have been an attempt to change the conversation away from the claims he made about Haitian migrants eating pets last week—in other words trading one controversy for another.
Yet, if that is the case, Vargas said it would be a strange play to make.
“Why would Donald Trump respond by saying ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT’ on social media because it’s not about liking or disliking her, it’s about understanding that this kind of response, in front of her massive following, could have the opposite effect from what he is hoping for,” Vargas continued.
Fans who may not have even been leaning politically one way or another could now take this as a reason to vote against him regardless of how they feel about Harris.
“Instead of turning people against Swift and thereby Harris, he has sparked a backlash. She’s expanding the electorate in ways that could be negative to Trump,” said Schreiner.
“End of the day, this is a prime example of how perception can turn into reality in today’s world and why our actions or reactions really do matter,” added Vargas. “If anything, candidates should be focusing on how to respond thoughtfully to cultural shifts like this, not just emotionally.”