Trump's Attack on Taylor Swift Sparks Backlash and Celebrity Support

Backlash against Donald Trump's 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!' intensifies

Trump's four-worded outburst comes just days after Taylor Swift informed her 284 million Instagram followers that she was going vote for Kamala Harris. Days after pop megastar Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris, Donald Trump has kicked the Swiftie nest by very presidentially posting on his Truth Social media account, in all-caps: "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" Despite his team and surrogates trying to shrug off the endorsement, following last week's Trump-Harris debate, Trump is clearly sore that Swift informed her 284 million Instagram followers that she planned to vote for Harris. Swift's post has drawn over nine million "likes", and fuels speculation it could boost the Democrat ticket. Trump had posted AI images suggesting Swift had endorsed him for president, clearly showing that he coveted her endorsement. One image showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, accompanied with the words, "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump." In her Instagram statement, Swift said Trump's AI posts influenced her decision to announce her endorsement. "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." Trump had initially dismissed Swift's endorsement of his rival by simply saying he was "not a Taylor fan" and that the superstar will "probably pay a price" for her decision. "It was just a question of time," said Trump. "She couldn't possibly endorse Biden... But 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." Now, the former president has declared war over Swift and her Swifties. His four-word statement has gone viral and the reaction has been... swift. The Harris campaign teased him with a (very) pun-heavy press release referencing Swift's songs: "Mr. Not-at-all Fine has spent this week working through his feelings, whining about his Champagne Problems, and spending exactly none of his time addressing the issues facing the American people," the statement says. It adds: "His rambling, yelling and constant conspiracy theories have many asking if The Man is 'too emotional' to be president. Call it What You Want, but it's Nothing New for the Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." Referencing his chaotic and rambling presidential debate performance, it adds that the Trump campaign can't "Shake it Off as the Bad Blood between Trump, his running mate, and his own party boils". Star Wars actor Mark Hamill wrote: "I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT" as a reaction to a post captioned ""Real men praise Taylor Swift for her talent". Several celebrities like Mia Farrow, Flavor Flav and Bradley Whitford also posted the same statement, alongside author Stephen King: "I love Taylor Swift. Her music makes me happy. End of story." Other celebrities who have endorsed Kamala Harris include Beyoncé, George Clooney, Spike Lee, Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Legend, Bon Iver, Matt Damon and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the last two announcing they will attend fundraiser in New York City this month -- for which tickets are listed at $25,000 per person -- to support the Democratic ticket, according to Bloomberg. Taylor Swift also recently used her acceptance speech for the Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards to urge viewers to register to vote. While many debate whether a celebrity endorsement can make a meaningful difference, there have been reports that Swift's backing of Harris has caused a "500 per cent" increase in voter registration. According to CNN correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, nearly half a million people were directed to the registration site Vote.gov from Swift's Instagram page - up from around 30,000 site visitors a day. Data firm TargetSmart's senior adviser Tom Bonier has stated that Swift's endorsement has directly led to a "400 per cent or 500 per cent increase" in voter registration - resulting in 9000 to 10,000 registrations per hour. Bonier added that the spike is "unlike anything" he's ever seen.

Look What She Made Him Do

By endorsing Kamala Harris, Taylor Swift incurred the petty wrath of Donald Trump. The post was sandwiched between a screed about capital-gains taxes and a video clip from a Donald Trump rally. Four words, all-caps: "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" Haters gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate), Taylor Swift has observed, and the claim has been validated, now, by an expert. On Sunday morning, Trump made his current feelings about Swift known on Truth Social -- an extremely belated reaction, it would seem, to the pop star's endorsement of Kamala Harris, issued last Tuesday evening. While "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" was not a proportional response, it was a revealing one -- because Trump's anger did not come out of nowhere. It came, instead, from the same place so many of his declarations of hatred do: indignation. And so, as his fellow Americans were going about their Sundays, he took his revenge. He hates Taylor Swift now, the former president would like you to know. He hates her in all caps. He hates her with an exclamation point. Swift's endorsement of Harris might have been unexpected, but it was not, strictly, a surprise. She has made no secret of her political leanings; she has, in fact, starred in a documentary whose entire premise was her unwillingness to keep her political leanings to herself. In the past, Swift has made her feelings known through direct endorsements -- the Tennessee congressional candidates Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper in 2018, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020 -- and through blunt commentary. Trump "thinks this is an autocracy," she said in 2019. Trump spent his presidency "stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism," she said in 2020. She has criticized his attempts to "subvert and destroy our right to vote and vote safely." In August 2020, Swift said that Trump had "chosen to blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans' lives at risk in an effort to hold on to power." With these, and with her newly announced support for Harris, the artist who sings in poetry made a point of using prose -- strident, clear, unable to be misinterpreted. Whether her comments will sway voters is unknown. But Trump loves adulation, and he likely wanted Swift's endorsement -- badly enough to claim her support even when she hadn't given it: In August, Trump shared a collection of images that included a picture of Swift dressed as Uncle Sam. "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump," the caption read. "I accept!" Trump "replied" while sharing the collage. This was fakery, all the way down -- and in her Harris endorsement, Swift referred to the incident, writing that it "conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation." The images were of a piece with other moments that seemed to suggest Trump's belief that Swift could be charmed into supporting him. In a book published in June, Trump went on the record praising Swift's appearance: "I think she's beautiful -- very beautiful! I find her very beautiful." For a moment, he conceded the reality: "I think she's liberal," he told the book's author. "She probably doesn't like Trump." But then: "I hear she's very talented. I think she's very beautiful, actually -- unusually beautiful!" The flattery came after Trump declared, in February, that "I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists. Joe Biden didn't do anything for Taylor, and never will." He added: "There's no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money." Read: The Taylor Swift way to defuse a troll Beauty and riches: These are the currencies Trump understands. And loyalty leads to, in his world, remuneration. Swift may have spent years making her feelings known -- but feelings, Trump knows, can change. He seemed to believe that he actually could win her endorsement, despite her years' worth of protestations. He seemed to believe that she owed him her support. After all: He had made her money. He had called her beautiful. What else is there? He had initiated the transaction, and he expected to be repaid. When Swift refused, the former president responded like a jilted boyfriend: broken heart, wounded pride. Look what you made me do. "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" may read primarily as pitiable -- a 78-year-old man treating the internet as his personal burn book. But the post also marks a real change. When Swift announced, in 2018, that she would be supporting Bredesen, the Democrat in Tennessee's senatorial election, Trump was able to laugh about it: "I like Taylor's music about 25 percent less now, OK?" he said. The old laughter has now curdled into something more personal and petulant -- and potentially dangerous. Haters will hate, yes. The question is: To what end?

Trump says he hates Taylor Swift after she endorses Kamala Harris

Donald Trump has addressed Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris in November's presidential race by announcing his "hate" of the pop star. The former president and Republican nominee wrote Sunday on his Truth Social platform: "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" Swift five days earlier announced her endorsement of Harris and running mate Tim Walz shortly after the vice-president debated Trump. In an Instagram post, the 34-year old singer wrote, "I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election," adding, "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." Ex-congresswoman and frequent Trump political opponent Liz Cheney summed up the typical reaction to Sunday's post, invoking the title of a Swift song and writing on X: "Says the smallest man who ever lived." Meanwhile, Swift on Wednesday evening urged her fans to vote during her acceptance of the Video of the Year award at MTV's Video Music Awards ceremony in Elmont, New York. "If you are over 18, please register to vote for something else that's very important ... [the] presidential election," she said. Though Trump now says he hates Swift, it wasn't that long ago that he apparently coveted her endorsement. He posted images generated by artificial intelligence that suggested Swift had endorsed Trump for president in August. One image showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, accompanied with the words, "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump." The former president also posted deepfakes of young women wearing "Swifties for Trump" shirts on his Truth Social Account, writing, "I accept!" Swift said Trump's posts influenced her decision to announce her endorsement. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation," she wrote on her Instagram. "It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter."

Cue 'Bad Blood': Donald Trump declares 'HATE' for Taylor Swift post-Kamala Harris endorsement

If it wasn't already obvious, former President Donald Trump's latest all-caps confession on Truth Social has made his true feelings about pop star Taylor Swift crystal clear. "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate fumed on his social media platform on Sunday, September 15. The unequivocally blunt expression of his disdain did not dive into any further elaborations. However, as the fiery declaration of his resentment towards the record-breaking artist comes after her official endorsement of Kamala Harris after Tuesday's ABC News debate, little is left to the imagination about what could have provoked the former commander-in-chief's savage announcement. "I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them," Swift professed four days ago on Instagram. The billionaire artist didn't just take a stand by the Democratic presidential hopeful in her lengthy post; she also took aim at Trump. "Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. 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." Despite the very public announcement of her political stance, Trump's campaign released Taylor Swift-inspired merchandise.

'Shake it off': Scooter Braun tears into Donald Trump for hateful diss against Taylor Swift, netizens express shock

Scooter Braun fired back at Donald Trump after the former US President declared that he "hates" Taylor Swift following her endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The former talent manager, who famously "stripped" Swift of her "life's work" and obtained the singer's masters, posted a screenshot of Trump's offensive remark on Instagram Stories on Sunday, along with a message for GOP leader, "Shake it off, Donald." Braun, 43, implied that he would support Harris in the White House race by writing: "Kamala 2024." Trump expressed his dislike for the pop singer in a message on Truth Social. "Taylor Swift is evil!" he wrote, slamming the 34-year-old singer of "Lover" a she after she openly supported Harris after her first 2024 presidential debate against Trump. Last week, Swift declared that she is voting for Harris because "she fights for the rights". The singer went on to hail Harris as a "gifted and steady-handed leader." She even hit out at Trump for posting her AI images falsely declaring her support for Trump. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation." In her public support on Instagram, the 14-time Grammy winner also commended Harris' running companion, Tim Walz, for his longstanding support of women's reproductive rights, IVF, and LGBTQ+ rights. Meanwhile, Braun's backing for the Fortnight singer startled Swifties, with one writing "this is so funny, now he likes taylor?" "We still don't like you, Scooter!" a second user chimed in. "He found a way to become relevant. Taylor Swift, again," a third user reacted, while the fourth one added, "Hell naw this is soo childish." Also Read: JD Vance married to an Indian reacts to Laura Loomer's racial attack on Harris: 'I make mean chicken curry' Trump dismissed the pop singer's backing for Harris during an interview with "Fox & Friends", saying he preferred her friend Brittany Mahomes. "Well, I actually like Mrs. Mahomes much better, if you want to know the truth. She's a big Trump fan," he asserted. Trump called Mahomes "beautiful" after she received immense backlash for "strongly defending" him. "I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me, and the fact that MAGA is the greatest and most powerful Political Movement in the History of our now Failing Country," he wrote on his social media platform.

Donald Trump says "I hate Taylor Swift!"

Former President Donald Trump took aim at Taylor Swift in a Truth Social post Sunday, declaring his distaste for the superstar after she endorsed his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris. "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" Trump wrote in the post. His announcement emerged online less than a week after Swift revealed publicly for the first time her plans to vote for Harris, the Democratic nominee in this year's presidential election. Her endorsement followed the first debate on Sept. 10 between Trump and Harris, which saw the two candidates face off during a televised showdown in Philadelphia that covered issues like abortion, immigration, the economy and foreign policy. "I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election," Swift said in an Instagram post. "I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. 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." Swift also voiced her support for Walz, the Minnesota governor tapped to be Harris' vice presidential running mate, noting how he "has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman's right to her own body for decades." The artist signed off as "Childless Cat Lady" to end her post, which accompanied a photo of Swift holding a cat, echoing 2021 comments from Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, that recently surfaced. In a 2021 interview, Vance lamented that the country was being run by "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives." Vance later said he was being sarcastic. Swift acknowledged the post that Trump had recently shared AI-generated images to his Truth Social account that showed women wearing "Swifties for Trump" t-shirts and falsely suggested she had endorsed him. They included a satirical post that claimed fans of Swift were "turning to Trump" after security concerns led to the cancellation of her concerts in Vienna in August. "I accept!" Trump wrote when he posted the false images. Swift said the incident triggered her "fears around AI, and and the dangers of spreading misinformation." "It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter," she said. "The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth."

'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT:' Trump Is Big Mad That the Star Endorsed Harris

"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election," Swift wrote in an Instagram post that went live after Tuesday's debate. She concluded her post with the sign off "Childless Cat Lady" -- trolling Trump's running-mate J.D. Vance, who has complained that the country is being run by "a bunch of childless cat ladies." This is not the first time Trump reacted to Swift's endorsement. When asked about his feelings about it last week, Trump said, "I actually like Mrs. Mahomes much better," referring to Swift's friend, Brittany Mahomes, wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has liked several pro-Trump posts on social media. "I was not a Taylor Swift fan," Trump continued. "It was just a question of time. You couldn't possibly endorse Biden. But 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." One reason Swift said she endorsed Harris was because Trump shared an AI-generated image of her. "Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted to his site," she wrote. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. 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."

Stephen King, Flavor Flav, more 'love' Taylor Swift after Trump 'hate' comment

Trump's remark came days after the singer endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in an Instagram post to her 284 million followers immediately following Tuesday's presidential debate. Swift said Harris is a "steady-handed" and "gifted leader," adding how Americans "can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos." Horror author King wrote on X: "I love Taylor Swift. Her music makes me happy. End of story." In an Instagram post shared after the debate, Swift wrote in a caption of a photo of her with her cat that she "will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz." "I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. 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. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman's right to her own body for decades," she wrote. Her endorsement addressed subjects from IVF to LGBTQ+ rights. Within an hour of posting, more than 3 million people had liked the post, ranging from Chrissy Teigen and Selena Gomez to Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Olympic soccer midfielder Rose Lavelle. "Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven't already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country," Swift wrote. "Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted to his site," Swift wrote, referencing Trump taking to his social media platform Truth Social and posting several suspected artificial intelligence-generated images alluding to Swift and Swifties' support for his campaign, despite the singer vocalizing disdain for the Republican nominee in the past. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. 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," she said. On Sunday, Trump responded with his short proclamation in all caps. The former president has returned to lashing out at major celebrities he disagrees, which was something he did often during his time in office. Swift has not posted or mentioned Trump, except to point out in her endorsement that there was AI showing her "falsely endorsing Donald Trump ... and the dangers of spreading misinformation."