Produced by ElevenLabs and Information Over Audio (NOA) utilizing AI narration.
The submit was sandwiched between a screed about capital-gains taxes and a video clip from a Donald Trump rally. 4 phrases, all-caps: “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”
Haters gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate), Taylor Swift has noticed, and the declare has been validated, now, by an knowledgeable. Yesterday morning, Trump made his present emotions about Swift identified on Reality Social—an especially belated response, it could appear, to the pop star’s endorsement of Kamala Harris, issued final Tuesday night. Whereas “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” was not a proportional response, it was a revealing one—as a result of Trump’s anger didn’t come out of nowhere. It got here, as an alternative, from the identical place so lots of his declarations of hatred do: indignation.
And so, as his fellow People have been going about their Sundays, he took his revenge. He hates Taylor Swift now, the previous president would love you to know. He hates her in all caps. He hates her with an exclamation level.
Swift’s endorsement of Harris might need been sudden, but it surely was not, strictly, a shock. She has made no secret of her political leanings; she has, actually, starred in a documentary whose whole premise was her unwillingness to maintain her political leanings to herself. Up to now, Swift has made her emotions identified by way of direct endorsements—of the Tennessee congressional candidates Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper in 2018, of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020—and thru blunt commentary. Trump “thinks that is an autocracy,” she stated in 2019. Trump spent his presidency “stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism,” she stated in 2020. She has criticized his makes an attempt to “subvert and destroy our proper to vote and vote safely.” In August 2020, Swift stated that Trump had “chosen to blatantly cheat and put thousands and thousands of People’ lives in danger in an effort to carry on to energy.”
With these, and together with her newly introduced assist for Harris, the artist who sings in poetry made a degree of utilizing prose—strident, clear, unable to be misinterpreted. Whether or not her feedback will sway voters is unknown. However Trump loves adulation, and he doubtless needed Swift’s endorsement—badly sufficient to assert her assist even when she hadn’t given it: In August, Trump shared a set of photos that included an image of Swift dressed as Uncle Sam. “Taylor desires you to vote for Donald Trump,” the caption learn.
“I settle for!” Trump “replied” whereas sharing the collage.
This was fakery, all the way in which down—and in her Harris endorsement, Swift referred to the incident, writing that it “conjured up my fears round AI, and the hazards of spreading misinformation.” The photographs have been of a bit with different moments that appeared to counsel Trump’s perception that Swift could possibly be charmed into supporting him. In a e book revealed in June, Trump went on the document praising Swift’s look: “I feel she’s stunning—very stunning! I discover her very stunning.” For a second, he conceded the truth: “I feel she’s liberal,” he informed the e book’s writer. “She in all probability doesn’t like Trump.” However then: “I hear she’s very gifted. I feel she’s very stunning, really—unusually stunning!”
The flattery got here after Trump declared, in February, that “I signed and was liable for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all different Musical Artists. Joe Biden didn’t do something for Taylor, and by no means will.” He added: “There’s no manner she might endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President within the Historical past of our Nation, and be disloyal to the person who made her a lot cash.”
Magnificence and riches—these are the currencies Trump understands. And loyalty results in, in his world, remuneration. Swift might have spent years making her emotions identified—however emotions, Trump is aware of, can change. He appeared to consider that he really might win her endorsement, regardless of her years’ price of protestations. He appeared to consider that she owed him her assist. In spite of everything: He had made her cash. He had referred to as her stunning. What else is there? He had initiated the transaction, and he anticipated to be repaid.
When Swift refused, the previous president responded like a jilted boyfriend: damaged coronary heart, wounded satisfaction. Look what you made me do. “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” might learn primarily as pitiable—a 78-year-old man treating the web as his private burn e book. However the submit additionally marks an actual change. When Swift introduced, in 2018, that she can be supporting Bredesen, the Democrat in Tennessee’s senatorial election, Trump was capable of giggle about it: “I like Taylor’s music about 25 % much less now, okay?” he stated. The previous laughter has now curdled into one thing extra private and petulant—and doubtlessly harmful. Haters will hate, sure. The query is: to what finish?
