Claim:
Images authentically show singer Taylor Swift endorsing former U.S. President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Rating:
False ( About this rating? )
Context:
Some of the images in question showed Taylor Swift fans with signs saying "Swifties for Trump." However, those images were AI-generated. Other purportedly real images of Swift fans expressing support for Trump are not evidence of Swift herself endorsing Trump.
In August 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social account posted a series of images purportedly showing Taylor Swift and her fans endorsing his presidential campaign.
Alongside the caption , "I accept!" the images showed a number of girls wearing T-shirts that said, "Swifties for Trump" and a poster of Swift in an Uncle Sam costume with the caption, "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump!"
(Truth Social user @realDonaldTrump)
The above post does not indicate that Swift endorsed Trump. Many of the images Trump shared showing "Swifties for Trump" were AI-generated, while others appeared to show Swift fans supporting Trump, but not the singer herself. As of this writing Swift has not made any endorsement, and she has spoken out against Trump in the past. As such, we rate this claim as "False."
One of the screenshots ( archived ) posted by Trump came from an X account @amuse , which tagged the images as "satire." The account was referencing Swift's canceled tour in Vienna after Austrian police reportedly thwarted a planned attack on her shows.
The account @amuse also clarified after the post was reshared by Trump, "As you might assume from my X handle, from time to time I will use satire to make a point or just to get a laugh. When I do I will mark it 'satire' in two places. I include the 'satire' tag on the graphic and in the ALT text."
Most of the above photographs appear to be AI-generated or doctored. The image of Swift as Uncle Sam does is not a real image depicting the singer endorsing Trump. The X accounts sharing images of fans wearing "Swifties for Trump" T-shirts frequently share AI-generated content and other fake news.
At least one of the individuals in the images shared by Trump's account appears to be real. The top right and bottom right images show Jenna Piwowarczyk, a 19-year-old Swift fan who was photographed at a Racine, Wisconsin, rally for Trump. Her photos were originally shared on X by Wisconsin Right Now, a local news organization:
However the photos showing a fan of Swift do not prove that Swift herself endorsed such a message. Swift has not endorsed a 2024 presidential candidate, as of this writing. However, in the 2020 election, in an interview with entertainment outlet V Magazine, she said : "I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year's presidential election. Under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs."
Swift is known for her liberal views that closely align with the Democratic Party. In the past she has been vocal in her support for reproductive rights, gender equality, LGBTQ+ advocacy and gun control measures.
Swift also posted a statement on X in 2020, criticizing Trump before the elections that year: "After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? 'When the looting starts the shooting starts'??? We will vote you out in November."
Swift has been the subject of numerous fake news stories, including one claiming that she and her boyfriend, football player Travis Kelce, announced that they would leave the United States if Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election. Another claim said she subtly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on her Instagram, without any official confirmation of that.
In response to questions about the post, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung told Deadline , "Swifties for Trump is a massive movement that grows bigger every single day." Axios noted that Cheung disputed the notion that Trump had accepted Swift's endorsement or that he claimed she had done so.
Swift is widely popular, with millions of fans in the United States and across the world. It is difficult to determine how many of her fans are Trump supporters.
Sources:
Dobrin, Nikki. "Did Taylor Swift Use Instagram to Subtly Endorse Harris for President?" Snopes, 9 Aug. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/taylor-swift-endorses-kamala-harris/. " target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/taylor-swift-endorses-kamala-harris/.">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/taylor-swift-endorses-kamala-harris/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Ibrahim, Nur. "No, Taylor Swift Hasn't Endorsed Biden for 2024 Presidential Election." Snopes, 10 July 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/taylor-swift-biden-2024/. " target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/taylor-swift-biden-2024/.">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/taylor-swift-biden-2024/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Izzo, Jack. "Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Said They'll Leave US If Trump Wins 2024 Election?" Snopes, 19 July 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/swift-kelce-leave-country-trump/. " target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/swift-kelce-leave-country-trump/.">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/swift-kelce-leave-country-trump/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Patten, Dominic. "'I Accept': Donald Trump Falsely Claims Taylor Swift Election Endorsement." Deadline, 19 Aug. 2024, https://deadline.com/2024/08/taylor-swift-false-donald-trump-endorsement-1236043417/. " target="blank">https://deadline.com/2024/08/taylor-swift-false-donald-trump-endorsement-1236043417/.">https://deadline.com/2024/08/taylor-swift-false-donald-trump-endorsement-1236043417/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Rosenbloom, Alli. "Taylor Swift Makes No Mention of Foiled Vienna Terror Attack Plot as She Resumes Eras Tour." CNN, 15 Aug. 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/15/entertainment/taylor-swift-wembley-london/index.html. " target="blank">https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/15/entertainment/taylor-swift-wembley-london/index.html.">https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/15/entertainment/taylor-swift-wembley-london/index.html. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Saric, Ivana. "Trump Falsely Claims Taylor Swift's Support in AI Generated Image." Axios, 19 Aug. 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/08/19/taylor-swift-ai-donald-trump-2024-election. " target="blank">https://www.axios.com/2024/08/19/taylor-swift-ai-donald-trump-2024-election.">https://www.axios.com/2024/08/19/taylor-swift-ai-donald-trump-2024-election. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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