Trump tweets about Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s recent political Instagram post elicits a response from President Donald Trump

Emma Goodman-Fish / Asst. Feature Editor / The USD Vista

President Donald Trump responded to pop star Taylor Swift’s recent vocalization of her democratic political views on her Instagram account. on Oct. 7. 

“Let’s say that I like Taylor’s music about 25% less now,” Trump said.

Swift made a lengthy post, endorsing former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen for the Senate, while criticizing his republican opponent, Marsha Blackburn. She has a “voting record in Congress that appalls and terrifies me,” Swift said. In the past, Swift has been reluctant to publicly voice her political opinions, yet the current political climate has changed this previous decision.  

In her Instagram post, Swift emphasized the values she believes in. 

“I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for human rights I believe we all deserve in this country,” Swift said. 

Swift also advocated for LGBTQ rights and spoke out against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, and race. Swift outlined the ways in which Blackburn’s platform does not align with these values, as Blackburn voted against the Reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act and believes gay couples should not have the right to marry. Swift’s poignant political statement, meant to encourage her followers to go out and vote, was noticed by the media community, and Trump tweeted his response after  he was asked by reporters his thoughts on her political message. 

Now that Taylor Swift has voiced her views and Trump has stated his opposition to them, the whole world of media and music has become involved. Some members of the USD student community were unfamiliar with the situation, but when further informed, they had a few different opinions to share. 

Itati Acosta is a sophomore at USD who is impressed by Swift’s involvement since Swift does not usually post about politics on her personal platforms. 

“I think it’s really important that a celebrity with such a big platform is using her influence to encourage people to vote, and take action for what they believe in,” Acosta said. 

Other students agreed with Acosta’s opinion, recognizing the new responsibility of those who are connected to the media to encourage political action. 

Sophomore Jianna Andrews pointed out the courage Swift showed through her post. 

 “I agree with Taylor Swift’s views and approach on the issue, and I respect her thoroughly for being confident enough to post on this issue, knowing that she could be criticized,” Andrews said. 

Swift’s bravery is admired by some students, and despite Trump’s disapproval, many have actually gained more respect for Swift. 

Maura Knopke, a Residential Assistant at USD,  recognizes that some of her residents have become politically active, while others are lacking the motivation to register to vote. With a social media figure such as Taylor Swift broadcasting the importance of casting a vote, some young adults have been inspired. 

“It influences her young audience to see that having a political opinion and that being involved in politics is your civic duty,” Knopke said. “She showed how important it is to be an educated voter, something I also value.”

According to CNN, the communications director for vote.org discovered that voter registration spiked after Swift’s post. 

“We are up to 65,000 registrations in a single 24-hour period since T. Swift’s post,” Guthrie said.

While President Trump may not agree with Swift’s new political statements, students are generally more strongly impacted by her voiced opinion than by the response it gleaned from Trump. 

In an age in which media’s influence is rising, pop stars and government officials alike are relying on these outlets more and more to share political messages with their followers. Whether or not the message is agreed upon, using social media networks to vocalize ideas may be essential for millennials and their political participation.

 Millennials now make up 31 percent of the population and thus constitute at least one third of the electoral vote, increasing the importance of young voter participation. 

No matter what the opinion an individual has to share or the medium it is expressed through, the act of sharing is still the most important.