Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris after her debate with Donald Trump, calling the Democratic candidate a “talented and steady leader.”
The megastar made her announcement in an Instagram post, which was published minutes after the presidential debate and garnered thousands of likes within minutes.
Swift included a photo of her cat, in an attack on Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, who mocked “cat-loving women without children.” Harris supporters took the chant seriously and formed cat-loving women’s groups in support of Harris.
The 34-year-old singer said in her post that she was disturbed by false reports that she had supported Donald Trump.
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election,” he wrote.
She signed her post as “childless cat lady.”
Swift has endorsed candidates in the past. She backed Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
And in a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Swift said she supported Hillary Clinton over Trump in the 2016 election and accused Trump of treating the presidency like “an autocracy.”
Her post describing her support was lengthy:
“Like many of you, I watched tonight’s debate. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do some research on the issues at hand and the positions these candidates take on the issues that matter most to you. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read as much as I can about their policy proposals and plans for this country,” Swift wrote.
“I recently learned that an AI depicting ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential bid had been posted on their site. It really raised my fears around AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It led me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The easiest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” she added.
She noted that ‘I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for rights and causes that I believe need a warrior to champion. I think she’s a talented and steady leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we’re guided by calm and not chaos. I was very encouraged and impressed by her choice of running mate @timwalz who has been championing LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.’
“I’ve done my research and I’ve made my decision. The research is all yours and the choice is yours. I also want to say, especially to first-time voters: remember that in order to vote, you must be registered! I also find it much easier to vote early. In my story I’ll give you links to places to register and find dates and information for voting early,” she wrote.
She finished it: ‘With love and hope, Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.’
She introduced her tabby cat Benjamin Button, the third of her three cats.
Tim Walz learned of the endorsement in real time during an interview on MSNBC.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift,” Walz said. “I say that as a cat owner.”
“That’s the kind of courage we need in America,” she added. “This is an opportunity, Swifties: KamalaHarris.com, go there.”
Harris stopped by a party to watch the debate after her meeting with Trump. Her farewell song was Swift’s The Man.
Swift endorsed Kamala Harris after the debate
Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at the US Open
Swift’s post garnered more than 261,000 likes in less than 20 minutes.
The singer, who is dating Chiefs player Travis Kelce, has split from her friend Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick.
Mahomes liked some of Trump’s Instagram posts, sparking speculation that he supports the former president.
And caused Instagram to crash after she… I liked a response from a follower that said: ‘TRUMP-VANCE 2024’.
She also liked another message of support after sparking outrage for initially liking a Trump post about the November election.
“Glad to see you’re not giving up,” read the comment she liked. “We are all entitled to our own opinions and we shouldn’t be forced to submit.”
Trump thanked Mahomes for his support.
“I want to thank the beautiful Brittany Mahomes for standing up so strongly for me, and the fact that MAGA is the largest and most powerful political movement in the history of our now failed country,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social social media platform earlier this month.
Swift has faced criticism from some for her close friendship with Mahomes. The two women often spend time together at games and frequently hug.
Swift and Kelce joined the two Mahomes at the U.S. Open in New York. Swift was attacked by some fans for hugging Mahomes and faced pressure to clarify her own views on the presidential election.
Mahomes and Taylor Swift have formed a close friendship over the past 12 months.
It’s unclear how influential Swift’s endorsement will be.
An NBC News poll in November found that 40% of registered voters had positive views of Swift, while 16% had negative views.