Pop icon Taylor Swift has announced her support for US Vice-president Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential bid, following a presidential debate between Harris and former President Donald Trump. In a social media post shared with her 283 million Instagram followers, Swift referred to Harris as a “steady-handed, gifted leader” and explained why she chose to stand by her.
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election,” Swift wrote. “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. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
Posting a picture of herself with her cat Benjamin Button, Swift signed off the letter as “Childless Cat Lady”, referring to Trump's running mate Senator JD Vance’s comment on women without children.
The Blank Space singer addressed the spread of misinformation, particularly AI-generated images falsely depicting her as endorsing the Trump-Vance ticket. “Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” she wrote.
Swift also urged her followers to research the presidential candidates themselves before deciding who to vote. “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story,” the 34-year-old singer emphasised.
Swift’s endorsement of Harris was anticipated as she had backed Joe Biden and Harris during the 2020 US elections, and her strong stand this time is likely to be a big blow to Trump’s campaign.
