A timeline of Donald Trump and Taylor Swift’s ongoing bad blood leading to *that* Super Bowl rant

In case you were too busy binging Love Island to notice, Taylor Swift was booed at the 2025 Super Bowl, and Donald Trump decided to share his feelings about it. But their feud isn’t new. Donald Trump used to heap praise on Taylor Swift back in 2012, then flipped to ranting about her on social media instead. So, here’s a thoroughly explained timeline of all the bad blood between Donald Trump and Taylor Swift.

Hold on, Trump used to be a Swiftie?!

Yup. Way, way back in 2012, before Donald Trump decided he was going to be a politician. He claims he took a photo with her, which he described as “beautiful” and “fantastic”.

@taylorswift13 Thanks for the beautiful picture— you are fantastic!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2012

Please note that we don’t know when Taylor is supposed to have taken this picture (or maybe sent a photo?) to Trump, and if this photo exists, it has never seen the light of day.

He was so pleased she was co-hosting a Grammy’s TV show that he tweeted about it especially.

Glad to hear that @taylorswift13 will be co-hosting the Grammy nominations special on 12.5. Taylor is terrific!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2012

In the depths of Melania Trump’s Facebook page is a video of him listening to Taylor Swift music. For real.

I think Melania and I have a very different definition of a ‘fun night’ (Image via FaceBook)

In the 19-second long video from 2014, Donald Trump is driving a Rolls Royce in absolute silence while Taylor Swift’s Blank Space plays. You can see a mini Baron Trump in the passenger seat. The caption reads: “Fun night with my two boys DJT & BWT ❤️”

This video lives rent-free in my head and I am still so, so confused.

Taylor Swift actually said something political in 2018

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Earlier on in Taylor’s career, she really steered clear of responding to the news. If anything, her early all-American extra-blonde country singer good girl yee-haw persona was in keeping with more conservative American politics.

But in October 2018, she wrote on Instagram: “In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now.” She endorsed two Democrat candidates in her home state of Tennessee. Taylor was also very critical of the Republican senator Marsha Blackburn’s stances on women’s write, and wrote, “Her voting record in Congress appals and terrifies me.”

Taylor discussed this decision at length in her Netflix Miss Americana documentary.

Donald Trump told reporters that he thought Marsha Blackburn was “a tremendous woman” and “doing a very good job”. He added, “I’m sure Taylor Swift doesn’t know anything about her”.

He then told reporters: “I like Taylor’s music about 25 per cent less now.”

Taylor Swift’s marketing team then seem to have developed a fondness for the number 25. There was a 25 per cent sale on her merchandise, and Taylor Nation tweeted that everyone needed to vote for her for the People’s Choice Awards 25 times.

Keep voting for #TaylorSwift 25 times in each #PCAs category daily!!#TheFemaleArtist: https://t.co/scKGGsykFK#TheConcertTour #reputationTour: https://t.co/BDgEwvv6NR#TheSocialCelebrity: https://t.co/kg3jkjgZ6T pic.twitter.com/SVyD9fum4T

— Taylor Nation (@taylornation13) October 11, 2018

Taylor Swift was really critical of Donald Trump in 2020

The singer was clearly not impressed with Donald Trump’s responses to the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. She wrote: “After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November.”

After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 29, 2020

In September 2024, Taylor Swift spoke out against Donald Trump again

Throughout 2024, there were loads of fake AI videos circulating on social media of Taylor Swift supposedly endorsing Donald Trump to be the US president. Taylor eventually responded by endorsing Kamala, for real.

Taylor’s carefully worded statement didn’t actually say anything explicitly negative about Donald Trump, but instead heaped praise on Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for supporting LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. She signed it “Childless Cat Lady” as a snarky response to when Trump’s running mate Vance called Kamala Harris and other Democrat politicians “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives” back in 2021.

Donald Trump’s response was extremely mature, sophisticated and detailed. He typed “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” in all caps.

(Image via TRUTH social)

Trump’s campaign team then started selling t-shirts with a remarkable resemblance to Taylor’s merch from The Eras Tour.

His new bestie Elon Musk’s response was far more disturbing. He tweeted (sorry, X-ed): “Fine Taylor… you win… I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.” Help.

Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2024

Donald Trump ranted about Taylor Swift again at the 2025 Super Bowl

For context, Taylor Swift booked out a private box for the 2025 Super Bowl. She watched the game with all three HAIM sisters and Ice Spice. She was there because she’s in a super low-key, highly secretive, under-reported relationship with some footballer dude. When the screens showed her, several spectators booed. Bare in mind the stadium was full of Eagles fans, and Taylor is dating some guy who plays for the opposite team.

Donald Trump was also lurking in the stadium – he became the first sitting US president to show up to the Super Bowl. After the booing, he reposted on his interestingly-named TRUTH social media platform videos which supposedly show the crowd cheering for him, and booing for Taylor Swift.

He then wrote: “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”

NB: Taylor Swift wasn’t booed out of the stadium, and stayed for the whole game. We have no evidence that she was booed only by MAGA supporters. American football spectators have been booing Taylor long before she endorsed Kamala Harris, because there was a phase when she was being shown on TV almost as much as the actual players. Some Swifties also cheered for Taylor when she was on the screen, and plenty of people also booed Donal Trump. Also, “Stadium” is not spelt with a capital letter.

Taylor Swift hasn’t publicly addressed Donald Trump’s comments. But it was reported that Travis Kelce was sad about it.

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Featured image of Taylor Swift via YouTube. Featured image of Donald Trump via YouTube.