Some tracks by Taylor Swift have been excluded from social media clips posted by the campaign of U.S. President Donald Trump and the White House, where two of the renowned American singer’s songs were featured in the past week. The White House and a spokesperson for Swift did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Swift has not recently addressed Trump directly, although she endorsed his Democratic opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, in 2024. During the 2020 election, Swift expressed on social media that Trump was not wanted as the president. Trump has frequently criticized Swift. Following her endorsement of Harris, the Republican referred to her on social media, expressing dislike towards her. Numerous artists, such as Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, have urged the Trump administration not to utilize their songs.
The Trump campaign showcased two Swift songs on its TikTok page over the last week. One video, set to her lyrics, included a reference to well-known songs by the pop star, like “Red (Donald Trump’s Version).” In June, Trump’s campaign shared a video on the short-video platform featuring Swift’s new song “I Knew It, I Knew You” from the movie Toy Story 5. The video depicted interactions between Trump and children at the White House, his presence at a UFC match, and a rally, with a caption emphasizing his love for the country and its people. This marked the third occasion the Trump administration or his campaign had employed one of Swift’s songs in recent months.
In April, the White House posted a video depicting the Artemis II crew meeting with Trump at the White House, utilizing Swift’s “High Infidelity” and lyrics from the song “Do you really want to know where I was April 29th?” Another TikTok video shared by the White House in November showcased “The Fate of Ophelia” from Swift’s album “The Life of a Showgirl,” featuring images of the U.S. flag, monuments, and various photos of Trump, including a doctored mugshot from 2023.
The latter post gained significant attention on social media and prompted a White House spokesperson to inform multiple news outlets that the video was produced because the Trump administration anticipated media outlets to widely amplify it. Trump’s communications team, active on social media, has shared various popular songs alongside visuals of Trump’s immigration policies, U.S. military activities against Iran, and the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.