Taylor Swift is still one of the most important cultural figures of our time, and her fluctuating relationship with politics, especially her public opposition to former President Donald Trump, keeps the conversation going all across the country. But a recent comment from Melania Trump, the former First Lady, adds an unexpected twist to this long-running public fight.
People have been very interested in how Swift’s political career has changed. The music star didn’t become involved in politics or make any endorsements or comments about them for most of her early career.
In 2018, she spoke out and publicly backed Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, over Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, in the race for the U.S. Senate seat from Tennessee. Swift’s Instagram post called Blackburn’s voting record “appalling and terrifying,” which made it apparent that she was no longer ready to stay neutral.
At the time, Swift tweeted, “I will always vote for the candidate who will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve.”
That post generated a lot of trouble in the news and in politics, especially since Blackburn was a close friend of then-President Donald Trump. Trump, of course, struck back with a jab. From the White House grounds, he said, “I like Taylor’s music about 25% less now, okay?”
It was a way to downplay Swift’s significance, but it started a small argument that lasted for years. Swift would go on to criticize Trump’s administration many times, especially during the Black Lives Matter marches and the pandemic. In 2020, she said he was “stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism” and also spoke out against anything that kept people from voting.
Trump enjoyed the song “Justice for All,” which was recorded by a group of individuals who were in jail for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riot. The tension didn’t go away. He played the song at his rallies and bragged in Houston that it had knocked Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus off the iTunes charts. The boast sounded more like an insult than a reason to be happy.
“It beat Taylor Swift.” “It beat Miley Cyrus,” Trump said. “We knocked them off for a long time.”
By 2024, it was evident that Swift preferred Democratic candidates over Republican ones. She didn’t declare she was backing President Biden’s candidacy for re-election, but she did back Kamala Harris, which made Trump irate again on Truth Social, where he wrote in all caps, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”
With that in mind, the latest event with Melania Trump is even more interesting.
On July 2, Melania went visited a children’s hospital in Washington, D.C., where she talked to patients and made them feel better. She asked a little girl what type of music she liked, and the kid answered, “Taylor Swift.”
The New York Post writes that Melania’s response was unexpected: “She’s really good at what she does.”
It’s an easy thing to say, yet it goes against everything her husband has been saying. Donald Trump has publicly insulted Swift’s character and downplayed her accomplishments, but Melania gave her simple, genuine appreciation. Their disagreement could suggest that they like different things or that Melania is more careful in public.
People who are into politics and pop culture and are used to big differences saw the exchange, even though it didn’t go viral. It reminds us that not all political couples agree on everything, especially when it comes to famous persons like Taylor Swift, who affects people of all ages, political parties, and generations.
We can’t say for sure if this moment symbolizes anything more, but it does change the story of Swift.