Donald Trump’s reelection campaign downplayed the influence that Taylor Swift could wield in the 2024 election amid rumors that Democrats are vying for the global superstar’s endorsement ahead of November.
The New York Times came out with a report on Monday that President Joe Biden’s campaign is hoping to secure an endorsement from Swift to boost the president’s reelection chances against Trump, the current Republican front-runner. Swift’s team has yet to respond to the news, but the report does come as the pop star has faced an array of attacks from the former president’s MAGA crew and other conservative figures amid her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.
Speaking with conservative political commentator Benny Johnson on Tuesday, Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt called a potential Swift endorsement the Democratic Party’s “Hail Mary pass to drag Biden over the finish line.” She also belittled the impact that Swift’s opinion would hold on the American public, attempting to separate the billionaire superstar from the average voter.
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“Here’s the deal. I don’t think people are going to take advice from someone who flies around on a private jet, has private security, when they’re paying thousands of dollars more just to live,” Leavitt said on Johnson’s podcast. “That might not be a lot of money for Taylor Swift, she may not feel the impact of Bidenomics. But millions of people across this country are.”
Newsweek reached out to Swift’s publicist via email for comment on Tuesday.
Following the onset of her worldwide, record-breaking “Eras” tour in March, Swift’s net worth climbed to $1.1 billion, officially entering billionaire status in October. The superstar has also faced some backlash over the amount of CO2 emissions her private jet flights have produced between traveling on tour and visiting Kelce during the NFL season.
But Leavitt’s argument that a billionaire pop star won’t reach the average American is likely flawed, given that Trump himself is estimated to be worth $2.6 billion and has been supported by celebrities and millionaires like Snoop Dogg, football star Brett Favre and country singer Jason Aldean.
Swift has also proven to mobilize her younger supporters in past elections. Over 35,000 people registered to vote in September after the pop star urged her followers on Instagram to do so. And a Redfield and Wilton Strategies poll conducted exclusively for Newsweek found that 18 percent of voters say that they’re “more likely” or “significantly more likely” to vote for a candidate endorsed by Swift.
In 2020, Swift endorsed Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump.
Conservatives have repeatedly criticized Swift following her rise to global superstardom and after her relationship with Kelce went public in the fall. The NFL star has faced backlash of his own following his advertisements with companies like Pfizer and Bud Light.
Some Trump supporters have spread conspiracies in recent months that Swift is acting as an agent for the Pentagon and will exert her influence to empower the federal government. Others, including ex-presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, have suggested that the 2024 Super Bowl on February 11—where the Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers—will be rigged to boost Swift’s impending endorsement of Biden.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.