Over the weekend, Donald Trump expressed his dislike for Taylor Swift on his social media platform, Truth Social. He is displeased with Swift's recent Instagram post, where, despite encouraging people to make their own choices, she endorsed Kamala Harris. In response, over 400,000 people clicked on Taylor Swift's voter registration link in her Instagram story within just 24 hours. Many also searched for "voter registration" online, causing a noticeable spike in search interest, particularly during the presidential debate.
One chart showed a significant rise in voter registration searches when Trump was questioned about the January 6th events during the debate. Another spike occurred even after the debate had ended, corresponding with the time Taylor Swift posted her political endorsement. Swift's fan base, mostly Gen Z and Millennials, tends to lean left politically. While younger people, especially young women, typically vote at lower rates than older generations, Swift's influence could potentially change that.
In the 2020 election, only 44,000 votes in states like Georgia, Arizona, and Wisconsin separated Joe Biden and Donald Trump from a tie in the Electoral College. If the 2024 election is similarly close, the so-called "Swifty bump" in voter registration might play a crucial role. This possibility could be a reason why Trump is particularly irritated with Taylor Swift's political engagement.