The President of the United States, Donald Trump, took a break from his important schedule right after returning from a trip to the Middle East to tackle a completely different matter—his longstanding feud with pop star Taylor Swift.
The 78-year-old politician and the world’s wealthiest female musician have long clashed due to their differing political viewpoints, with Swift publicly endorsing and donating towards campaigns that opposed Trump.
Highlights
- Trump claimed Taylor Swift is 'no longer hot' and suggested he caused her decline in popularity.
- Data shows Swift's Spotify listeners and streams surged in 2025, contradicting Trump's claim.
- Harvard Business praised Swift as a strategic artist with $1.6B net worth and top-grossing tours.
“Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I hate Taylor Swift,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’” the head of state wrote on his personal social media platform Truth Social, trying to establish a connection between Swift’s supposed decrease in popularity and himself.
President Trump suggested Taylor Swift is no longer popular mainly thanks to him after returning from Middle East trip
Image credits: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty
Beyond what the President might want to be true, an impartial look at available data suggests that the pop star has not only remained culturally relevant since the election, but that interest in both her person and her music has only increased since then.
Image credits: Chip Somodevilla / Getty
For instance, an analysis by Chartmetric shows that the star has consistently gained new Spotify listeners each month in 2025.
Her most popular track, 2019’s Cruel Summer, has been streamed 2.9 billion times in the last 14 days, with her second most popular song, 2005’s August, being streamed a total of 1.5 billion times during the same period.
Image credits: realDonaldTrump
A recent analysis by Harvard Business concludes that, far from slipping into irrelevance, Swift may be one of the rare artists whose commercial success has only intensified over time.
With 11 original studio albums, a net worth of $1.6 billion, and the highest-grossing tour in history under her belt, Swift is now widely regarded by critics as the most financially successful musician of her generation.
Taylor Swift’s handling of her career has been praised by observers as “strategic” and “revolutionary”
Image credits: taylorswift
The 35-year-old’s steady rise is of particular note in an industry that tends to burn bright and fade fast, with most artists struggling to maintain their relevance past a handful of successful albums or one-hit-wonders.
Swift, in contrast, has become a “multigenerational phenomenon,” with her former teenage fans now bringing their own children to her shows.
According to the article, the secret behind her success is constantly reinventing herself both musically and strategically. Her transition from country to pop, and more recently into genres like indie fold and alternative pop has kept her followers guessing and entertained for many years.
Her marketing team has also made expert use of digital platforms to maintain the engagement of her fans, embedding “easter eggs” and lyrical puzzles that encourage repeat listening, theory crafting, and social media discourse.
For Kevin Evers, the senior editor at Harvard Business, these aren’t mere gimmicks, but savvy strategic moves that keep her relevant in an era of rapidly changing technologies and music consumption methods.
Swift has been accused by detractors of being “fake,” arguing that her every move is calculated
Further complicating Trump’s narrative that Swift’s star fading is the results of her Eras Tour. Beginning in Arizona, United States, in March 2023, and concluding in Vancouver, Canada, it reportedly grossed over $1 billion over its duration.
The tour’s popularity prompted spikes in hotel bookings, merchandise sales, and associate businesses revenues, making Swift’s impact even more apparent. News outlets like The Guardian went as far as to describe the singer’s popularity during the shows as being similar to “Beatlemania.”
Image credits: https://x.com/SamuelBrownRBT/status/1888738867030983131
That said, Swift’s career hasn’t been without controversy. Recently, her association with Blake Lively amid the actress’ lawsuit battle with former This Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni brought unwanted attention to her brand.
According to information by Baldoni’s camp, Lively allegedly referred to Swift as “one of her dragons,” implying she could use her friendship to destroy and obstruct the careers of those who cross her.
Image credits: taylorswift
Her relationship with football superstar Travis Kelce has also been under scrutiny, with fan theories suggesting the relationship is a publicity stunt, and even divulging a since-debunked contract where both agreed to break-up on a specific date.
While the President might enjoy seeing his popstar rival crash and burn, the data suggests otherwise, proving that the singer is anything but “washed up.”
"Swiftie in denial." Netizens joked that the President's fixation with Swift may have nothing to do with politics
