Nashville, Tennessee – Former President Donald Trump criticized pop star Taylor Swift on Sunday, suggesting that she would be “disloyal” if she were to endorse President Joe Biden for a second term. This comes amid rightwing conspiracy theories alleging that Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his team’s recent Superbowl win, was part of a plan to sway the election in Biden’s favor. Trump claimed that Swift owes her success to him and insinuated that she may be swayed by the financial gains she has made during his presidency.
Trump also highlighted the Music Modernization Act as a benefit to artists like Swift, insinuating that his administration had been instrumental in its passage. Swift publicly endorsed Biden in the 2020 election, but has not formally endorsed any candidate for the upcoming election yet. Despite this, her efforts to encourage voter registration reportedly resulted in over 35,000 new voter registrations.
The Biden campaign responded in a lighthearted manner to the conspiracy theories, poking fun at the situation on social media. Politicians have also been quick to align themselves with Swift, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declaring himself a fan, while others have warned their own party members about the dangers of criticizing the influential singer.
The Music Modernization Act, a bipartisan effort, was aimed at updating copyright law to better regulate royalties and licensing payments in the age of music streaming. However, one of the lawyers involved in the act claimed that Trump had little to do with the legislation apart from signing it. The controversy surrounding Swift’s potential endorsement serves as a reflection of the influence that celebrities can have on the political landscape in the United States.