Pop megastar Taylor Swift has publicly endorsed Kamala Harris just minutes after the US presidential debate between the current vice-president and Donald Trump.
In a rare foray into public politics, the highest-profile musician on the planet said she would be voting for Harris, weeks after the Trump campaign posted fake, AI-generated videos falsely showing her endorsing the Republican candidate.
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election,” Swift said in an Instagram post to her 283 million followers.
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“I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.
“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.
“I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate Tim Walz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
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Swift signed off her lengthy statement as “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady”, a clear dig at the comments from Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, who labelled a number of prominent Democrats as “a bunch of childless cat ladies”.
While clearly outlining her reasons for supporting Harris and Walz, Swift encouraged Americans to support whoever they feel best represents them.
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“I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice,” she wrote.
“Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered.”
While Swift endorsed Joe Biden and Harris during the last election, she has largely kept quiet on politics throughout her career, but spoke of her regret in not speaking out earlier in her 2020 documentary Miss Americana.
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