The Trump team has come under fire for posting a controversial video featuring Taylor Swift’s song, despite her open support for Kamala Harris and public disdain for Donald Trump. The video, shared on Instagram and captioned “Women for Trump!”, shows former president Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, leading a group of Trump supporters in lip-syncing to Swift’s song “22”. Social media users were quick to criticize the video, calling it “cringe-worthy” due to the awkward use of a song by an artist who has been vocal in her opposition to Trump.
The specific lyrics from Swift’s song “Mean” include pointed lines such as, “All you are is mean, and a liar, and pathetic and alone in life,” which many found ironic given the political context. Swift, a highly influential pop star, had previously expressed her disapproval of Trump and has shown support for Harris, who is now his political rival in the current presidential race. Trump himself has been openly critical of Swift, even going as far as to rage tweet that he “hates” her, further adding to the oddity of his campaign’s use of her music.
The video begins with the group miming along to Swift’s lyrics, “I don’t know about you, but I’m…” but is quickly interrupted with the statement, “voting Donald Trump, baby!” Critics across multiple platforms mocked the clip, with many calling for legal action against the Trump team for using Swift’s music without permission. Some online commentators even suggested Swift should sue the campaign.
Swift’s support for Harris solidified after a debate between Harris and Trump. Swift addressed a viral AI-generated image that falsely depicted her endorsing Trump, which the former president had shared. In response, Swift released a statement expressing her fears about AI and the growing dangers of spreading misinformation. She emphasized the importance of transparency and urged her followers to be cautious about the content they come across online, reaffirming her support for Harris and clarifying her stance as a voter.
In the viral clip, Lara Trump leads the “Women for Trump” group, but the video quickly gained negative traction. This wasn’t the first time the Trump campaign had been criticized for its use of music. Just days earlier, Trump’s performance during a campaign event in Pennsylvania was widely ridiculed. Instead of focusing on political questions, Trump hosted a 30-minute session in which he played music by artists who had previously objected to their work being used by his campaign.
Artists and their estates have long objected to Trump’s unauthorized use of their music at his rallies. One of the most notable cases involved musician Rufus Wainwright, who condemned Trump for using his rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” during his events. Wainwright made it clear that his version of the song was meant to be a celebration of peace, love, and truth, and he expressed his outrage at its use in a political context he fundamentally disagreed with. Wainwright was “mortified” by the campaign’s actions and joined a long list of artists who have demanded Trump stop using their music.
Throughout his political career, Trump has been criticized for playing songs at his rallies without obtaining permission from the artists. From legendary acts like The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty to more contemporary performers like Beyoncé and Adele, many musicians have issued cease-and-desist orders to Trump for unauthorized use of their songs. For example, Tom Petty’s estate was vocal about its disapproval, expressing that Petty would have been strongly against his music being used in a way that didn’t align with his values.
Other artists who have taken issue with Trump’s use of their work include Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and The White Stripes. In August, the estate of Isaac Hayes filed a lawsuit against Trump for 134 counts of copyright infringement. Similarly, French artist Woodkid and Canadian singer Céline Dion called out the Trump campaign for playing their songs at rallies without consent.
One of the most recent instances involved Beyoncé, who reportedly threatened legal action against Trump for using her song “Freedom” in a social media video. This came just days after the song was officially endorsed as the anthem for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, making its use by Trump’s team all the more contentious.
This pattern of unauthorized use has raised questions about the Trump campaign’s disregard for intellectual property rights and the frequent legal actions it has faced as a result. Despite numerous warnings and legal threats, the Trump team has continued to use music without permission, sparking outrage from the artists and their fanbases alike.
the Trump team’s decision to use Taylor Swift’s music in their campaign video has resulted in widespread backlash, not only because of Swift’s outspoken political stance but also due to the ongoing legal and ethical issues surrounding the unauthorized use of artists’ music at political events. The Trump campaign’s history of ignoring cease-and-desist orders from musicians adds another layer of controversy to their latest viral video, reinforcing the criticism they have faced from both the public and the music industry.
