Donald Trump’s Taylor Swift Deepfakes Are Disturbing – Her Fans Agree

Key Takeaways

• Donald Trump posted a series of doctored images that purport to show “Swifties for Trump.”
• Fans expressed outrage at the use of deepfakes to present a false narrative.
• Trump has ramped up his use of AI-generated imagery in recent days.

Donald Trump has provoked the ire of Swifties by posting a series of AI-generated images that erroneously suggest they are supporting him in the upcoming presidential election.

The suggestion couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, Taylor Swift and her fans have a track record of mobilizing against Trump and his politics.

Taylor Swift Deepfakes Backfire

If Trump’s post on Truth Social was intended to rally support in the wake of an attempted ISIS attack on Swift’s concert in Vienna, his plan backfired.

Even on the social media platform he owns and which is largely populated with existing Trump supporters, the overwhelming response, with users disturbed at the poor taste and apparent attempt at misinformation

“You’re going to get sued… using her likeness and saying she supports you is not parody., its slander.” objected  one typical comment.

Meanwhile, the outcry on other social media platforms was even more pronounced, with many Taylor Swift fans expressing shock and anger.

Trump’s defenders have pointed out that the post was intended to be satire. After all, the Republican presidential candidate has a historically antagonistic relationship with Swift.

Trump–Swift Beef Escalates

For years the relationship between Donald Trump and Taylor Swift has been marked by public statements, political differences, and the values of Swift’s fan base. 

Although Swift maintained a neutral stance throughout much of her early career, in 2018 she broke her silence by endorsing Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee. And in 2020, she gave her backing to Biden’s campaign.

After Swift expressed her opposition to then-Republican Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn,  Trump remarked, “Let’s say that I like Taylor’s music about 25% less now”.

Having endorsed Biden in 2020, Swift was highly critical of Trump’s efforts to suppress postal voting. “ He is WELL AWARE that we do not want him as our president. He’s chosen to blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans’ lives at risk in an effort to hold on to power,” she stated .

Given her popularity and influence, Swift’s increasingly vocal criticism hasn’t gone unnoticed by Republican strategists.

One Trump loyalist reportedly working close to his presidential campaign described  a “holy war” against the pop star, while another depicted her as “another left-wing celebrity who is part of the Democrat elite telling you what to think.”

Deepfake Abuse

While Trump’s latest post on Truth Social was in concordant with his longstanding criticism of Swift, the use of AI-generated deepfakes is new. Given Swift’s past experience with the technology, it was also especially bad taste.

After AI-generated, sexually explicit videos featuring her likeness circulated earlier this year, Swift became one of the most high-profile victims of celebrity deepfake abuse, a disturbing trend that almost exclusively affects women. 

Taylor Swift deepfakes became so rampant at one point that X blocked searches for her name to prevent the AI-generated images from spreading virally. 

About the Author

James Morales

Although his background is in crypto and FinTech news, these days, James likes to roam across CCN’s editorial breadth, focusing mostly on digital technology. Having always been fascinated by the latest innovations, he uses his platform as a journalist to explore how new technologies work, why they matter and how they might shape our future.

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