Fact Check: Did Taylor Swift announce 'boycott' of red states after Trump's election victory?

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: After the 2024 presidential election, a viral claim suggested that pop star Taylor Swift announced a boycott of red states following Donald Trump's reelection victory.

Over time, Swift's vocal political engagement has led to the spread of the claim on social media, igniting intense debates and causing widespread confusion.

The claims

Rumors spread on social media, including X (formerly Twitter), claiming that Taylor Swift had announced she would avoid performing in or endorsing “red states”—those that typically vote Republican—after Trump's election win.

The tweet claimed, "Taylor Swift has announced her decision to boycott red states in response to Donald Trump’s recent re-election. In an emotional Instagram post, Swift declared she ... Read more."

The statement characterized Swift as adopting a firm position against certain states, alleging that they embodied political views at odds with her own.

Swift had previously endorsed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for her presidential campaign in September, particularly in the blue states.

The rumor that Swift is boycotting red states originated from the SpaceXMania.com network, known for its satire and parody news. SpaceXMania.com shared the alleged news on their SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page.

Did Taylor Swift 'boycott' red states?

No official statement has been issued by Taylor Swift or her representatives to confirm the announcement of a "boycott" against red states. Fact-checking outlets, such as Snopes, have not discovered any credible sources to support this assertion.

Swift has not issued any public statements in the days following Trump's victory indicating plans for political action of this kind.

The rumor that Swift is boycotting red states originated from the SpaceXMania.com network, known for satire and parody news. The caption accompanying the image in the SpaceXMania post read, "Taylor Swift Announces Boycott of Red States. 'I can't in good conscience perform there.'" Swift never made any such remark.

Satirical post fuels false rumors of Taylor Swift boycotting red states

A post from The Patriots Network also sparked rumors that Taylor Swift would exclude red states from her tour following a significant wave, even though she never made such statements publicly. The post garnered over 137,000 reactions.

The image showcased various signs of its satirical nature, such as a "rated satire" label and small text, "Nothing on this page is real. If you believe anything we post then you're a potato crop." The image displayed the following text, "This is a 'FICTIONAL QUOTE.'"

An examination of the edit history for a post on The Patriots Network's page showed that a page manager added the word "SATIRE" to the text caption approximately 24 hours after its initial creation, after the widespread sharing of the rumor.