As a passionate fan of Taylor Swift, I have been avidly following the saga of the pop star’s relationship with NFL star, Travis Kelce. I feel that I have now grown out of my phase of actually caring about who Swift dates, but this relationship has held my attention for a reason I did not previously expect: It bothers America’s right wing.
Many prominent conservative figures have been obsessed with this new, blossoming relationship because they believe that it is an attempt by the NFL and, by extension, the government, to ensure that President Joe Biden remains in office. Vivek Ramaswamy, former GOP presidential candidate, said of Swift and Kelce in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “I wonder who’s going to win the Super Bowl next month. And I wonder if there’s a major presidential endorsement coming from an artificially culturally propped-up couple this fall. Just some wild speculation over here, let’s see how it ages over the next 8 months.”
Laura Loomer, another right-wing activist, posted on X: “The Democrats’ Taylor Swift election interference psyop is happening in the open… They are going to use Taylor Swift as the poster child for their pro-abortion GOTV campaign.”
The American conservative wing is no stranger to conspiracy theories, with recent topics ranging from LGBTQ+ indoctrination in public schools, QAnon, Pizzagate to the COVID-19 vaccine being a covert method for introducing microchips in our brains. The new obsession with Swift and Kelce’s relationship is nothing new, and is certainly not even the weirdest conspiracy theory peddled by those on the far right. However, it is an interesting case study to analyze the weaknesses of the American right wing and how they perceive society to work.
I will grant conservatives that the relationship between Swift and Kelce was hardly predicted nor anticipated. The two operate in seemingly very different circles. Swift has had a string of art-bro lovers from the United Kingdom, starting with Harry Styles in 2013 and ending with her brief fling with The 1975’s Matty Healy last summer. Professional athletes are hardly her “type”—as much as it is possible to know the “type” of a celebrity I do not know personally. Similarly, Kelce has not dated anyone nearly as high profile as Swift during his time in the limelight. Therefore, I suppose one could conclude that it is weird for two public figures such as Swift and Kelce to have met and even hit it off in the way that they seemingly have.
However, the story of Kelce and Swift’s first meeting is nothing short of a fairytale; the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs attended one of the singer’s sold-out shows at his home stadium in July 2023 with a friendship bracelet with his number on it, in hopes of catching the singer’s attention (a feat made possible by the extensive media coverage of his presence). He was successful, to say the least. The two are the epitome of the American couple—the star football player and the most popular woman in America.
Perhaps I am the one who is not cynical enough, maybe I trust the machinations of the world too much, and maybe this is indeed all a plot to get Joe Biden back in office. However, the reaction from America’s conservative legion is a reflection of their own weaknesses and insecurities; they know they are less appealing to young voters and the popular majority as the days go by. They are grasping at straws to attempt to prove that there is an orchestrated movement against them and their political party. All that this conspiracy theory demonstrates is something many have already known for a while: The American conservative wing is increasingly delusional, scared, out-of-touch and looking to lash out at any perceived threat.
But perhaps they are correct to be scared. Swift and Kelce’s positions in society are ones that would have, once upon a time, benefited the GOP more than hurt them. The NFL, and football in general, has garnered a reputation as an overwhelmingly white, conservative sport, especially in the wake of the League’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick, after he kneeled in support of Black Lives Matter in 2016. Kelce, however, has never overtly supported the GOP, and was in fact a spokesperson for Pfizer to promote the COVID-19 vaccine, which has been a contentious topic for the American right. In fact, it is this support that has marked him as a plant for the liberal government, according to many posts on X by conservative gurus. According to CBS News, Mike Crispi, a conservative broadcast personality, posted on X: “The NFL is totally RIGGED for the Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor Swift, Mr. Pfizer (Travis Kelce). All to spread DEMOCRAT PROPAGANDA. Calling it now: KC wins, goes to Super Bowl, Swift comes out at the halftime show and ‘endorses’ Joe Biden with Kelce at midfield. It’s all been an op since day one.” Clearly, conservatives are concerned with what kind of political and social influence a celebrity like Kelce could have.
Similarly, while Swift was, for a long time, silent about political issues, her recent foray into political issues could be concerning for the GOP. It was only in 2019, along with the release of her album, “Lover,” that Swift began to speak about issues that could be even remotely perceived as political, such as LGBTQ+ rights. In 2020, she publicly endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, while openly criticizing Marsha Blackburn, the then-incumbent Republican senator in Swift’s home state of Tennessee. The same year, she also spoke out in support of Black Lives Matter. Finally, every time she has encouraged her fans and social media followers to vote, she has driven a surge in voter registration, with the most recent surge doubling the number of 18-year-old registered voters in comparison to the previous year, according to NPR. While many would agree that Taylor’s “activism” leaves something to be desired, she, and this power couple, present the GOP with plenty of reasons to be scared. If a simple appearance from the songstress at a football game can send NFL ticket sales, merchandise sales and viewership soaring, and her Instagram stories can stir people to the polls, maybe there is some truth in their delusional fantasies about a plot orchestrated by Democrats to keep Republicans out of office. But perhaps, instead of seeing it as another reason to paint themselves as the victims, the right-wing should reflect about what it means if Americans put their faith in people and ideals that do not align with their platform.