Taylor Swift is facing backlash from her own fanbase, the Swifties, after the singer was seen embracing Brittany Mahomes during the U.S. Open, which she attended with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
The backlash coincided with the release of an op-ed from Variety which speculated if Swift was going to make a political endorsement this year, or stay silent.
Many fans view Swift, who is surely one of the most influential celebrities on the planet, as the bearer of great power and responsibility, and expect the singer to be more politically outspoken.
Why Are Swifties Mad About Taylor Swift Hugging Brittany Mahomes?
Brittany Mahomes, who is married to NFL star Patrick Mahomes, made headlines after “liking” one of former president Donald Trump’s social media posts, which sparked online criticism.
Mahomes dismissed the online backlash as “haters” suffering from “deep rooted issues.” The controversy prompted Trump to thank Mahomes in a social media post, writing:
“I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me.”
Taylor Swift fans have a habit of watching their favorite pop star like a hawk, having been trained to pick up on subtle messages from Swift, who tends to leave clues and easter eggs for Swifties.
Now, Swift’s most dedicated fans search for hidden meaning in Swift’s everyday actions, which resulted in Swift’s embrace of Mahomes being interpreted as a political act.
For some Swifties, their favorite singer might as well have endorsed Trump.
Others found the backlash to be absurd, and pointed out that Swift was just hugging a friend.
Does Taylor Swift Support Donald Trump?
Swift has strongly spoken out against Trump in the past, and endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Fans expected her to endorse Kamala Harris this year, and many are still holding out hope that she will in October.
However, some have interpreted her silence and embrace of Mahomes as a sign that she doesn’t care about the outcome of this election.
Many pointed to Swift’s words in the Netflix documentary Miss Americana, in which Swift presented herself as politically active and desperate to be “on the right side of history,” as evidence that they are holding Swift to her word.
Others pushed back against those expectations.
Some interpreted Swift’s silence as a cynical, “spineless” move from a pop star who has become successful enough to keep her thoughts to herself.
Notably, Swift stayed silent after former president Donald Trump shared AI-generated images of her on his Truth Social platform implying that Swift was endorsing Trump for his 2024 presidential bid.
Swift and her team tend to be fiercely protective of the singer’s image—they famously threatened legal action against a college student for tracking Swift’s private jet flights, so it was strange that Trump’s false endorsement post was ignored.
Some Swifties pointed out that Swift, an absurdly famous pop star and billionaire, simply does not inhabit the same reality as her fans, and shouldn’t be expected to share their concerns.
Why Do Taylor Swift Fans Expect Her To Speak Out?
Over the years, Swift has cultivated a deeply personal relationship with her fans, having made great efforts to appear “relatable” and receptive to their concerns.
Swift has engaged in savvy publicity stunts, like paying off the student loans of a lucky fan, or inviting Swifties to her own home for a listening party, to strengthen the illusion of intimacy.
Swift’s personable approach helped launch her brand into the stratosphere, but has seemingly come at a cost, as many Swifties feel emboldened to fiercely criticize Swift’s love life, and now, her political silence.
Swift has expressed frustration with her most parasocial fans through her music, with her latest album seemingly dismissing obsessive Swifties as “judgmental creeps who say they want what’s best for me.”
Update: In the wake of the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, Swift has endorsed Harris via a post on Instagram. Swift wrote:
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. 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.”
Following Swift’s endorsement, Trump posted an all-caps response on social media: “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”
Trump’s post sparked a counter-reaction, resulting in “I love Taylor Swift” trending on social media, and reportedly causing Brittany Mahomes to rethink her support of Trump.
