Taylor Swift officially endorses Kamala Harris following presidential debate

WASHINGTON — Taylor Swift announced her support for Kamala Harris on Tuesday night following the presidential debate. 

"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them," Swift said on Instagram.

“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."

She included a picture of herself holding her cat Benjamin Button, and she signed the message “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady.” The remark is a reference to three-year-old comments made by JD Vance, Donald Trump's running mate, about women without children not having an equal stake in the country's future.

Swift wrote that her endorsement was partially prompted by Trump’s decision to post AI-generated pictures suggesting that she had endorsed him. One showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, and the text said “Taylor wants YOU to VOTE for DONALD TRUMP.”

Trump's posts “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote. She added that "I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice."

Swift has a dedicated following among young women, a key demographic in the November election, and her latest tour has generated more than $1 billion in ticket sales. In a half hour, the post received more than 2.3 million likes.

The pop star previously endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and was openly critical of Trump, saying he had stoked “the fires of white supremacy and racism.” Swift spoke about her political leanings and turmoil over whether to make them public in her documentary "Miss Americana." 

The Associated Press contributed to this story.