Carrie Underwood's Trump inauguration gig linked to Taylor Swift as insiders dish on long-running feud
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Carrie Underwood’s 'America the Beautiful' performance at President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January raised questions about her political views, but insiders suggest there’s more to the story.
Some believe it may be a response to her long-running rivalry with Taylor Swift, which dates back to the early 2010s. Underwood has made subtle jabs at Swift over the years, particularly about her high-profile relationships.
While both artists initially rose to fame in country music, their paths diverged - Swift shifting to pop and liberal politics, and Underwood maintaining conservative stances.
This political divide, combined with their personal tensions, has fueled the ongoing feud, with Swift endorsing Democratic figures like Kamala Harris and Underwood backing more conservative causes.
Source reveals Carrie Underwood 'took the Trump inauguration gig to spite' Taylor Swift
Insiders close to Taylor Swift have suggested to DailyMail that Carrie Underwood’s performance at Trump’s inauguration was actually influenced by a long-standing feud with Swift.
A source revealed, "Some people close to Taylor think Carrie took the Trump inauguration gig to spite Taylor. They've had a little bad blood in the past and Taylor famously endorsed Kamala Harris."
The insider continued, “Some people in the industry do think this is Carrie's way of marking her territory as 'Miss Americana' as her side of the political aisle won the election.”
Underwood has made several pointed comments about her 35-year-old rival over the years.
Just days ago, on 'American Idol', where Underwood recently returned as a judge, she made a remark about a contestant, saying she had a “Taylor Swift-esque quality.”
Though she didn’t directly reference Swift’s voice, she hinted that the contestant lacked the "giant vibrato" and "belty voice" that Underwood is known for.
An Insider continued, "Carrie has been waiting for the moment to throw some subtle shade, but this was not that subtle. There was no reason to compare this girl to Taylor."
For her part, a source close to Underwood claims the rivalry stems from her belief that Swift abandoned country music in favor of a more commercially successful pop career.
"Carrie feels Taylor truly sold out going from country to pop," the insider said.
Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift's years-long feud
After Carrie Underwood’s 'American Idol' win in 2005, she and Taylor Swift were often seen as rising stars in country music.
Fans frequently compared them, with country radio even dubbing Swift the "next Carrie Underwood." This growing comparison seemed to bother Underwood, who began taking subtle jabs at Swift in public.
In 2010, Underwood made a veiled reference to her Republican ties while hosting the 'Country Music Awards', mocking the Affordable Care Act in a skit with Brad Paisley.
Swift, seen in the audience, appeared uncomfortable. The following year, Underwood and Paisley threw shade at Swift’s short relationships, referencing her famous breakups in a parody. They also joked about Swift’s reported breakup with Conor Kennedy, adding more fuel to the rivalry.
The feud between Underwood and Swift resurfaced in 2015 when Underwood reignited tensions during an interview.
When asked by People magazine if she would want a "girl squad" like Swift's famous circle of A-list friends, Underwood responded, "I don't even know squad. Like a posse? I have people I hang out with. My friends are normal people - one's a baker and the other is a stay-at-home mom."
Despite their decade-long feud, insiders have pointed out that Underwood's fame pales in comparison to Swift's immense success. While Underwood has sold over 85 million records globally, Swift boasts an impressive 81 million monthly Spotify listeners.
When it comes to net worth, Swift clearly outshines Underwood. Recently, she surpassed Rihanna to become the world’s richest female musical artist, with a net worth of $1.6 billion. In contrast, Underwood has a more modest fortune of $120 million.
