TLDR
- Former President Donald Trump shared AI-generated images on social media suggesting Taylor Swift fans support his campaign.
- Trump also posted AI-generated images implying Vice President Kamala Harris is a communist.
- The posts come as recent polls show Harris leading Trump in several key battleground states.
- Trump made multiple posts criticizing Harris and defending his own record, particularly on issues affecting Black Americans.
- Swift has not endorsed any candidate for the 2024 election, though she supported Biden in 2020.
Former President Donald Trump took to social media on Sunday, sharing a series of posts including AI-generated images that falsely suggested Taylor Swift fans support his campaign.
Trump shared screenshots on his Truth Social platform showing multiple AI-generated photos of women wearing shirts with the slogan “Swifties For Trump,” along with one real image of a woman wearing a similar shirt.
The former president wrote “I accept” in response to these images, which were originally posted by right-wing accounts on X (formerly Twitter).
Trump shared AI-generated images depicting Harris as a communist. One such image showed Harris addressing a crowd in Chicago with a hammer and sickle symbol in the background. Trump also reposted the front page of the New York Post criticizing Harris’s economic platform as “Kamunism.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2024
These posts come amid new polling data that shows Harris gaining ground on Trump. Surveys published by The New York Times and Siena College found Harris leading Trump in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and North Carolina. A national poll from ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos showed Harris ahead by 3 points among registered voters when third-party candidates are included, and by 4 points in a head-to-head matchup.
Trump’s social media activity extended beyond sharing AI-generated images. He made multiple posts criticizing Harris and defending his own record, particularly on issues affecting Black Americans.
In one post, Trump claimed he had “done more for our black population than anyone other than, perhaps, Abraham Lincoln.” This statement echoes previous claims he has made, though experts have disputed its accuracy.
The former president also took aim at CNN commentator Van Jones, who recently praised Harris’s economic platform. Trump accused Jones of being ungrateful for his administration’s work on criminal justice reform.
It’s worth noting that Taylor Swift, whose fans were depicted in the AI-generated images, has not endorsed any candidate for the 2024 election. Swift supported Biden in the 2020 election and has been critical of Trump in the past. A group called “Swifties for Kamala” has formed, claiming over 40,000 followers on Instagram and 60,000 on X, though this is separate from Swift herself.
Trump’s social media activity occurred on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, where Harris is expected to speak. The convention comes at a time when the vice president has been gaining momentum in polls and increasing her visibility on the campaign trail.
Trump’s campaign, when asked about the AI-generated images of Harris, responded by repeating the “Kamunism” headline from the New York Post. This response suggests the campaign is leaning into the narrative portrayed in these images.
