In the lead-up to the November 2024 election, Swift shared an Instagram post following the September 10 presidential debate, publicly endorsing Harris. She urged her fans to do their own research and cast their vote, signing off as “Childless Cat Lady” — a direct call out to controversial remarks made by Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance.
Swift had been largely silent on the election but said that she had been inspired to speak up after discovering altered and synthetic images showing her falsely endorsing Trump.
“I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” Trump wrote in a September 15, Truth Social post less than a week after the singer’s call to action brought in 405,999 visitors to the federal government’s website Vote.gov.
Since then, Swift has become a target of many widespread falsities, including online reports that companies are pulling out of endorsement deals or banning the singer, with her tour facing great financial losses — many of which stem from parody.
Screenshots of Facebook posts taken September 20, 2024
Although some Facebook posts are clearly labeled as satire, others are not — an example of what the News Literacy Project calls “stolen satire,” or “a satirical story that is removed from its original context and presented online without an immediately apparent disclaimer.” AFP examined the claims below:
Coca-Cola
“Coca-Cola Cuts Ties With Taylor Swift Over Harris Endorsement, ‘We Don’t Support Her Endorsement,'” says a September 16, 2024 Facebook post.
Screenshot of a Facebook post taken September 20, 2024
One user replied: “Great job COKE!”
But a company spokesperson confirmed the claim is false in a September 19, 2024 email.
The Facebook page “SpaceX Fanclub” first shared the post about the beverage company on September 14, labeling it as satire. It includes a correlating article to an associated website, Esspots.com. The website describes itself as a “one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary.”
The Esspots website’s “About Us” page adds: “Our team of writers and editors is dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in fake news and absurdity, all with a healthy dose of humor and satire.”
Swift partnered with Diet Coke in 2013 and 2014, but AFP found no reports of recent cancellation of a partnership (archived here and here).
Eras Tour
Another Facebook post shared September 16 claims: “Taylor Swift Forced to Cancel Eras Tour Dates Following Endorsement Backlash: ‘Only 2,300 Tickets Sold.'”
Screenshot from Facebook taken September 20, 2024
“Great news. Karma,” one user wrote on the September 14 “SpaceX Fanclub” post — once again labeled as parody. But this claim is similarly false and was also originally published by Esspots the same day.
Keyword searches and searches of Swift’s social media accounts uncovered no evidence of canceled tour dates as of September 20, 2024 (archived here).
Before endorsing the Democrat, Swift did cancel three August Eras Tour shows in Austria after authorities foiled an apparent terrorist attack that was being planned outside her Vienna shows’ venue. But her record-shattering Eras Tour, launched in March 2023, is ongoing according to the TicketMaster website (archived here).
Country Music Television
A September 17 Facebook post purports that Country Music Television (CMT) put a “permanent ban on Taylor Swift.”
“She’s Worse Than Garth Brooks,” the headline says.
Screenshot of a Facebook post taken September 20, 2024
This claim is also false, and resurfaced from an Esspots article, originally published February 14, 2024. The original satirical headline, which came long before Swift’s endorsement reads: “Breaking: CMT Issues Lifetime Ban on Taylor Swift, ‘She’s Worse Than Garth Brooks.'”
CMT, an American pay TV network, is currently owned by Paramount Global through its MTV Entertainment Group division. Taylor Swift appeared at the MTV Music Video Awards Show on September 11, 2024, winning Video of the Year for “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone.
Pepsi
Another Facebook post shared September 16, 2024 says: “Global superstar Taylor Swift was set to ink a massive $480 million endorsement deal with Pepsi, but the agreement was abruptly terminated due to her unexpected endorsement of Harris.”
Screenshot of a Facebook post taken September 20, 2024
Although it is unclear where the claim originated, a Pepsi spokesperson told AFP by telephone September 19 the claim is false.
Earlier this year, AFP Fact Check debunked claims from the Esspots website about celebrities refusing multi-million dollar deals with brands Nike and Bud Light.
And AFP has previously fact-checked multiple false claims about Swift.
