Former President Donald Trump slammed Taylor Swift’s potential support of President Joe Biden, saying the president “didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will,” and noted his own work to sign into a law copyright legislation made it easier for artists to get paid for online streaming of music.
In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump touted his passage of the Music Modernization Act—legislation that updated copyright law to account for streaming—which Trump said helped Swift and other musicians.
Trump went on to say there was “no way [Swift]
could endorse Crooked Joe Biden” as he hasn’t done anything for Swift and “never will.”
Trump said Swift would never be “disloyal to the man who made her so much money,” implying she should endorse Trump because he passed the Music Modernization Act and despite her 2020 endorsement of Biden (Swift has not yet endorsed a candidate in the 2024 presidential race).
The former president also mentioned Swift’s boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and saying he was a fan despite Kelce might be liberal who “probably can’t stand” Trump.
CRUCIAL QUOTE
“I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will. There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money. Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably can’t stand me!”
NEWS PEG
Trump’s Truth Social post comes hours ahead of Swift’s highly anticipated appearance at Super Bowl LVII where she’s expected to cheer on Kelce.
KEY BACKGROUND
Swift has made more political headlines than usual lately. Wild conspiracy theories have circulated that Swift is part of a psychological operation carried out by the Department of Defense (a theory the Pentagon has debunked). Theories that Kelce and Swift’s relationship is part of a Democratic plan to get Biden elected have also circulated online. While the Biden campaign is definitely interested in Swift’s backing, there’s no evidence to support the idea that the relationship has anything to do with Biden. Last month, the New York Times reported the Biden campaign was hoping for another Swift endorsement and the campaign was even considering sending Biden to a stop on Swift’s “Eras tour.”
TANGENT
When Trump signed into law the Music Modernization Act it was the first musical licensing overhaul in decades. The passage of the legislation meant for the first time sound recordings from before 1972 would be compensated. The legislation made the music licensing process simpler and made it so that individuals could more easily get paid when their music was streamed online, according to The Verge.
