Political impact of Taylor Swift

Characterized as a liberal, Swift is pro-choice, an advocate of gender equality, LGBT rights and gun control, and a vocal critic of racism, white supremacy, sexism, homophobia, and police brutality.

She condemned the first Trump presidency, accusing it of racism and fostering violence during the George Floyd protests, criticized the policies of the Republican senator Marsha Blackburn and the overruling of Roe v. Wade, and supported the Equality Act, the creation of Juneteenth as a national holiday and the removal of Confederate statues.

[4] According to The Times, even though Swift is left-aligned, a portion of the right wing still "covet" her,[5] making her a unifying entity that could help bridge the political divide of the U.S. by drawing various demographics to her cause.

Various surveys have reported Swift's approval ratings to be higher than those of Biden and Trump, attributing her political sway in the U.S. to her status as an anomalous American cultural icon.

[24] Retrospectively, critics such as The Independent's Emma Clarke have reasoned with Swift's former apoliticism, attributing it to having started "her music career in Nashville, Tennessee, a predominantly red state; the last time the Democrats won there was in 1996.

[22] According to Bereznak, apoliticism might have been "an advantageous business strategy" for pop stars before; however, for cultural figures like Swift, their "actions, communication, and work" are analyzed by the media in a political lens.

I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening, and prevalent".Swift received "fierce backlash" from Republicans, Trumpists, and right-wing supporters who felt "betrayed" by Swift and criticized, slut-shamed, and berated her online; they claimed she "ended" her career with decision and should have "shut up" and "stick to music".

The National Republican Senatorial Committee opined, "If you haven't heard, multimillionaire pop star Taylor Swift came down from her ivory tower to tell hardworking Tennesseans to vote for Phil Bredesen".

Charlie Kirk, president of conservative group Turning Point USA, tweeted: "You just endorsed a Democrat in the Tennessee Senate race with a ridiculous statement saying Marsha Blackburn, a woman, is against women.

[48] In 2019, Swift stated that when she began her country music career, Big Machine and other label executives advised her to not discuss politics, making an example of the Dixie Chicks controversy.

[52][53] Forbes staff Seth Cohen found Swift's increased political engagement in the past year "notable for its high-profile approach and big hit commentary.

[2][61][62][63] Whereas, Black Lives Matter activist and chair professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Melina Abdullah, described the Swift-Kelce relationship as a "right-wing, white-supremacist conspiracy".

"[65] Meanwhile, fellow Republican presidential contestant Nikki Haley criticized the theory, calling it "bizarre"; she said, "Nobody knows who she's gonna endorse, but I can't believe that's overtaken our national politics....

[67] On February 11, 2024, Trump claimed on Truth Social that "there's no way" Swift could be "disloyal" to him by endorsing Biden, arguing he "made her so much money" by signing the Music Modernization Act into law.

"[69] After the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII, Biden posted a meme on social media poking fun at the conspiracy theory using his "Dark Brandon" persona.

Swift also criticized Trump's use of AI to create the false endorsement in the post,[72] which she signed off as "Childless Cat Lady", referencing comments made by Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance about Democrats.

[75] Female celebrities such as Stevie Nicks,[76] Linda Ronstadt,[77] and Aubrey Plaza also made Instagram posts posing with their pets, encouraging followers to vote.

[86] Writing for Variety, Chris William felt that "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince" effectively conveys Swift's deep sorrow and disappointment towards American politics.

[92] U.S. House representative Eric Swalwell revealed that Swift authorized the usage of the song for the campaign free-of-cost, marking the first time she has allowed her music to be used in a political advertisement.

[105][106] Fortune and Bloomberg News attributed the criticism to Ticketmaster's "oft-confusing multistep buying process plagued with additional fees", as well as "long waits, technical problems, and poor customer service".

[115] Representative David Cicilline, chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, urged the Department of Justice to investigate and reverse the merger of the companies.

Biden and the National Economic Council director Lael Brainaird released a statement claiming that the prohibition of the deceptive surprise fees applies to resorts and rentals as well.

[128] Media publications deemed the controversy a testament to Swift's political impact and beneficial to the music industry by driving conversations about economic inequality and antitrust laws in the US.

[133] In the Republic of Ireland's Thomas Pringle, member of the Oireachtas, criticized the "rampant price gouging" in Dublin for the tour's stop in the city as "disgraceful display of greed" by local hotels.

[148] It collaborated with Voters of Tomorrow, a political advocacy group by Gen-Z that seeks to boost the youth vote, to target college students in swing states.

"[163] According to Clarke, the combination of Swift's unique bipartisan appeal and her endorsement of Harris will "may yet prove to be pivotal" in the 2024 election as it is "to be decided in a handful of key states, by a few thousand votes".

[67] Richard T Longoria of The Guardian opined that Swift's impact on the election is minimal, but could pave way for a Harris win by swaying the decisive "undecided" votes for Democrats in swing states.

[185] During the 2024 Labour Party freebies controversy, it was reported that several cabinet members including Starmer, Darren Jones, Wes Streeting and Bridget Phillipson had accepted Swift concert tickets.

[190] The prime minister's office denied that the free tickets were connected to security demands, however admitted that Starmer meeting Swift at the concert could have created a perception of a conflict of interest.

Politician Jaw Shaw-kong, a prominent member of the opposition party Kuomintang, stated in a televised debate that he invited Swift to hold a concert at the Taipei Dome and that she initially agreed to perform but soon declined, citing "geopolitical risks" of the tense bilateral relations between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China.