Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance called pop superstar Taylor Swift a “naive” billionaire on Wednesday, a day after Swift endorsed the Democratic presidential nominee, citing Vance's criticism of “childless cat ladies” like herself.
“We respect Taylor Swift's music, but whether you like her music or are a fan of hers or not, we don't believe most Americans will be influenced by a billionaire celebrity who is fundamentally out of touch with the concerns and issues of the majority of Americans,” the Ohio senator said on Fox News' “The Story.”
“When grocery prices go up 20%, it hits most Americans. It doesn't affect Taylor Swift. When housing prices become unaffordable, it doesn't affect Taylor Swift or any other billionaire. It's middle-class Americans across the country that are affected.”
Swift, 34, posted an Instagram post in support of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after the vice president debated former President Donald Trump on Tuesday night, citing Vance's 2021 comments about childfree women.
Alongside a photo of Swift holding her fluffy cat Benjamin Button, the “Cruel Summer” singer wrote: [Harris] He is a steady and talented leader, and I believe this country can achieve so much more if led with calm rather than chaos.”
In her endorsement, Swift cited three specific policy areas: LGBT rights, abortion rights and IVF access, writing that she is “extremely encouraged and impressed by her choice for vice president.” [Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz]who has stood up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and women's rights over their own bodies for decades.”
She signed the post, “Taylor Swift childfree cat loving woman.”
According to Forbes magazine, Swift's net worth is $1.3 billion — compared to 78-year-old Trump. $3.8 billion luck.
“We are effectively running this country through the Democratic Party,” Vance said in an interview with then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson that resurfaced after he was picked by Trump as his running mate. [Party]through our corporate oligarchy, childless, catty-loving women who are miserable about their lives and the choices they make, are trying to make the rest of the country miserable as well.
“If you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC, the future of the Democratic Party is entirely dependent on childfree people,” Vance added.
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Trump has a mixed record on some of the issues Swift raised.
Trump, the first sitting president to take office in support of legal recognition of same-sex marriage and who appointed the country's first openly gay cabinet-level official, has repeatedly vowed to ban transgender women from women's sports if he returns to the White House.
Polls suggest abortion rights are one of Trump's biggest debts following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. But he has also defended state policies that preserve abortion access in cases of rape, incest and threats to the mother's health, and has denounced Florida's proposed six-week ban.
President Trump has also campaigned for expanding access to IVF, recently proposing to make the procedure free for parents through a federal insurance mandate or direct government payments.
Swift is widely considered a supporter of Harris, so her endorsement, which came as no surprise, had garnered nearly 10 million likes on Instagram as of mid-afternoon Wednesday.
Last month, false rumors circulated that Swift and fellow pop star Beyonce would perform ahead of Vice President Harris' speech at the Democratic National Convention, causing the venue to sell out hours before the VP's appearance.
