The MAGA-created conspiracy theories aimed at Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the Chiefs ahead of the Super Bowl are absolutely crazy. It’s no secret that the MAGA crowd doesn’t handle losing well, but their efforts to undermine Swift, Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs before Super Bowl LVIII and the 2024 presidential election are truly shocking.
Republicans and Fox News have made it their mission to turn everything into a culture war, and Taylor Swift has become their number one target. The New York Times recently published an in-depth article exploring the origins of the anti-Swiftie agenda.
Many of the conspiracy theories surrounding Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship being “artificial” and the Super Bowl being “rigged” for the Chiefs seem to stem from Republicans’ fear of Swift’s influence over voters due to her immense popularity. We’ve previously reported on how Taylor Swift could impact the election, so it’s understandable that Republicans are concerned.
According to The New York Times, “the right has been fuming about Ms. Swift since September when she urged her fans on Instagram to register to vote, and the online outfit Vote.org reported a surge of 35,000 registrations in response.” They also noted that Swift “has enormous influence and has supported Democrats in the past.”
In 2018, when Swift endorsed two Democrats in Tennessee, Donald Trump expressed his disapproval by saying, “Let’s say that I like Taylor’s music about 25 percent less now, OK?” She later criticized his handling of the pandemic and endorsed Biden for president.
It’s clear that Republicans are terrified of Swift endorsing Biden again in 2024, which is why they’re resorting to wild conspiracy theories. Among the most prevalent theories are that Swift is a secret agent of the Pentagon, that she’s building her fan base to endorse Biden’s re-election, or that her relationship with Kelce is a publicity stunt.
Travis Kelce has also faced backlash from Republicans after endorsing the Pfizer Covid vaccine and appearing in an ad for the company. Now, it seems that MAGA supporters are even targeting the Kansas City Chiefs themselves, suggesting that their Super Bowl victory has been predetermined and that the entire season is rigged.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, recently posted on social media, “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.” It’s clear that he’s trying to align himself with Trump, but his comments are baseless.
Another Trump supporter, Mike Crispi, claimed that the NFL is rigged to spread “Democrat propaganda” and predicted that Swift would endorse Biden during the Super Bowl halftime show. These claims are absurd and unfounded, but it’s unlikely that Crispi will apologize if he’s proven wrong.
Republicans seem to be outraged by the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce relationship because it challenges traditional gender norms. They’re also likely frustrated that the Kansas City Chiefs have become known as “America’s Team,” surpassing the Dallas Cowboys in popularity.
In the past, the MAGA crowd has rallied behind organic controversies during the NFL season, such as their outrage over Black players kneeling during the national anthem. However, their attempts to create a culture war controversy this season have largely failed, thanks in part to Swift’s popularity.
Perhaps Trump supporters should focus their energy on rallying behind a rock star in their own party instead of attacking Democrat-supporting celebrities like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. However, there aren’t many rock stars in the Republican party. Aaron Rodgers, who has spread vaccine lies and Covid misinformation, is one of the few options. Alternatively, maybe Republicans just need to take a step back and calm down.
