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(New York, NY) – After endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in a post on Instagram, former President Donald Trump has admonished the singer saying he was never really a fan. Trump posted on his Truth Social account this past week “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” The endorsement from the megapop star has spurred a lot of conversations around celebrity endorsements and if they actually help a political campaign. Some say that endorsements could alienate fans, while others believe that artists have a responsibility to use their platform for causes they support.
In the case of the Taylor Swift endorsement, it may actually not affect Trump’s chances, since according to a new poll Trump has higher favorability ratings. A New York Times and Siena College survey, conducted from Sept. 11-16, showed Trump with a 47% favorability rating, while Swift, 34, trailed at 42%.Harris, 59, topped both with a 48% favorability rating.
Despite having a lower favorability score, Swift’s unfavorable rating stood at 34%, compared to Trump’s 50% and Harris’ 48%. Twenty-two percent of respondents had no opinion on Swift.
The poll highlighted political divisions in Swift’s support. While 70% of Democrats viewed her positively, only 41% of independents and 23% of Republicans did. Swift endorsed Harris on Instagram, praising her leadership on LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights, and access to IVF. She signed the post “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” referencing a Time magazine photoshoot with her cat, Benjamin Button.