Taylor Swift endorses Harris

Taylor Swift is endorsing Vice President Harris's presidential run, saying she's backing the vice president because "she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them."

The singing superstar — who called herself a "childless cat lady" in a reference to past remarks from GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) — issued a surprise endorsement of Harris immediately following the first presidential debate between the vice president and former President Trump.

"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," Swift wrote to her more than 280 million Instagram followers. 

The "Shake it Off" singer said she watched the debate between the two White House hopefuls, and encouraged her fans to do "research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most."

Swift, 34, said she was propelled to make her presidential pick known after Trump shared several fake, artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images showing her support for his campaign last month on his Truth Social platform. 

The posts, Swift said, "really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter."

"The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth," Swift said. 

"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election," she told her fans in her social media message. 

"I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice," Swift 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!"

Support from Swift — who boasts an absolutely massive following, particularly among young fans and potential voters — is considered a coveted political endorsement. Before exiting the White House race in July, President Biden's campaign was actively seeking Swift's endorsement. 

Harris's running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), said in a post-debate interview on MSNBC that he was "incredibly grateful" to Swift for the star-studded boost.

Reacting to her Instagram post, Walz said, "I say that as a cat owner, a fellow cat owner. That was eloquent, and that was clear. And that's the type of courage we need in America to stand up."

In a post on social media following the debate, Harris's campaign appeared to welcome Swift's show of support with open arms. 

"Kamala is ready for it," the X post said, touting Swift's endorsement and borrowing a lyric from her 2017 hit, "Ready for It?"

In 2020, Swift backed Biden just weeks ahead of Election Day, saying she would “proudly vote” for the former vice president and then-Sen. Harris.

The entertainer broke a career-long, near-virtual silence about politics in 2018 to voice her support for two Democrats competing in a Tennessee House and Senate race. She’s been critical of Trump in the past, accusing him in 2019 of “gaslighting the American public.” 

Earlier this year, Trump called Swift "very beautiful," and questioned whether she was "legitimately liberal" or if it was "just an act." Trump also discussed the "Delicate" songstress during a closed-door meeting with House Republicans in June, saying he was "surprised" she did not endorse him.  

Swift has championed voter registration efforts over the years. In 2023, more than 35,000 people reportedly registered to vote on Vote.org after the Grammy Award winner posted a message encouraging her fans to participate in National Voter Registration Day.

—Updated at Sept. 11 at 12:42 a.m.