Hell hath no fury like a swarm of Swifties scorned, something that Donald Trump might just be about to find out the hard way.
Though the world-famous singer isn’t exactly controversy-free herself, and often doesn’t take public stances on issues some of her fans might like her to have an opinion on, Swift has previously come out against Donald Trump in no uncertain terms. Given that this is one of the few political topics the Eras Tour superstar has waded into in recent years, it would have been awfully surprising for those on the internet to see Trump recently posting images to his Truth Social account that implied she had endorsed him, and that there was a groundswell of support for him from Swifties, her famously (and scarily) devoted fanbase. And yet, on Aug. 18, that’s exactly what they saw ⏤ or thought they saw.
Thankfully, it was quickly determined that these images ⏤ most importantly, one of Swift pointing her finger straight out like Uncle Sam, surrounded by the words “Taylor Wants YOU To Vote For Donald Trump” ⏤ were AI-generated. There were no fans wearing “Swifties for Trump” T-shirts, and the Evermore singer’s likeness had likely been used without her permission. The former president has been flailing in recent weeks as he comes up against a resurgent Democratic Party, who have united under Kamala Harris in a way that the Republicans did for the former Apprentice star during his successful 2016 run for the presidency. While he has always been one to ramble and lie, his public appearances in recent weeks have been increasingly more deranged, and it’s obvious that the Harris/Waltz campaign’s attack lines are getting to him.
The confusion and delusion has clearly spread to his online presence, too, as he posts incessantly at odd hours and has now pulled this act of desperation. While Trump is no stranger to being sued (and being in a courtroom in general, given that he is now a convicted felon), he is usually the person in the legal equation with the most money to spend on lawyers, so has often avoided any real consequences for his actions. However, if there is someone who can be just as vengefully litigious as the former president, then it’s Swift (and Disney, who probably have more lawyers than animators on their books). Naturally, Swifties have already started coming out in full force to chastise Trump for his recklessness and predict the consequences he’ll face.
Thankfully, there were also moments of levity to complement what is otherwise being viewed as a hellacious moment for Dump:
Swift has yet to comment on the controversy, likely because the singer is currently on the London leg of her epic Eras tour. She is due, however, to take a well-earned two-month break between the final show in the English capital before once again gigging in Canada. Her team is often quite quick to respond to issues like this, but given the delicate nature of the American political landscape and potential legal implications for what Trump has done, it makes sense that it is biding its time. All we know for certain is that Swifties don’t only recognize bad blood when they see it ⏤ they remember it, meaning Trump shouldn’t rest easy after making what could turn out to be the biggest mistake of his already shaky 2024 presidential campaign.