Why Do People Think Taylor Swift Is A 'Psyop'? A Growing Conservative Conspiracy Explained

There's no denying that practically everyone in the United States cannot escape news coverage of Taylor Swift, as the mammoth pop star has become a trending topic in seemingly every facet of American life, including sports, film, artificial intelligence, music (naturally) and now, politics.

A growing number of conservative thinkers are speculating that Swift's monumental popularity is not organic, and could, in fact, be a psyop orchestrated by nefarious, unseen actors in order to achieve political ends. Here's how this peculiar theory came to be.

What Is The "Psyop Taylor Swift" Conspiracy?

The origin of this peculiar theory comes from noted conservative conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer. In September of 2023, Loomer posted a sort of buckshot conspiracy that tied multiple political and pop culture theories together.

Frankly, the theory is difficult to parse and several portions of it have not come to fruition (such as a theory that California governor Gavin Newsom and former first lady Michelle Obama would run together on a 2024 Democratic ticket), but the key point that stuck around is this: Taylor Swift made a deal with billionaire philanthropist George Soros to help buy back the masters of her recordings in exchange for her aid in helping Democrats win the 2024 election.

To this end, her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is orchestrated for her to gain the widest audience possible to promote liberal beliefs and encourage young people, a traditionally left-wing demographic, to vote. Also, Kelce has participated in COVID-19 Vaccination ad campaigns, which conspiracy theorists believe were also orchestrated by the government to help spread vaccinations as widely as possible.

How Has The "Psyop Taylor Swift" Conspiracy Spread?

Loomer posted her theory right as the 2023 NFL season was starting and it didn't spread widely. However, as Swift has become a more common presence on television screens thanks in large part to the Chiefs' continued success in the NFL playoffs, more people are suspecting something is amiss.

What's happening with Taylor Swift is not organic and natural. It's an op.We all feel it. We all know it. pic.twitter.com/GqQ2VWB98G

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 28, 2024

Some conspiracy theorists believe the NFL, and perhaps all professional sports, are scripted, meaning the billionaires at the top of major sports organizations will push the needle, perhaps via referees, to have games end with outcomes they desire. This sidles in nicely with the "Taylor Swift Psyop" conspiracy theory, as now the NFL has a clear incentive for the Chiefs to win so that more people tune in to see Taylor Swift supporting Travis Kelce and the league. As the Chiefs won three playoff games on their way to the Super Bowl this year, every 50/50 call that seemed to go the Chiefs' way added credence to the idea that the NFL was guiding them to victory so they could show more Taylor Swift on their broadcasts.

This has caused some to call into question the competitive integrity of the upcoming Super Bowl, as many think it would benefit the NFL if the Chiefs won, which would further boost Taylor Swift's image, and perhaps have great influence on the 2024 election if Swift endorses Joe Biden.

I wonder who’s going to win the Super Bowl next month. And I wonder if there’s a major presidential endorsement coming from an artificially culturally propped-up couple this fall. Just some wild speculation over here, let’s see how it ages over the next 8 months.

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 29, 2024

Is There Any Truth Behind The "Taylor Swift Psyop" Conspiracy?

While it's impossible to know whether there's any merit to the "Taylor Swift Psyop" theory, there are several points the theory hinges on that have much simpler explanations than "orchestrated by an elite cabal."

It's quite possible that Taylor is dating Travis Kelce simply because the two like each other; Travis Kelce might be promoting vaccines simply because he supports the cause; Taylor Swift might lean left because she, as a Millennial pop star with a large, multicultural fanbase, may support Democratic policies more than Republicans'; the Chiefs keep winning because they simply play better than their opponents.

All of these dots could be connected if one wanted to imagine a larger conspiracy at play, but for now, all that can be said is that Taylor Swift is really popular, whether we like it or not.

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For more information check out the Taylor Swift Psyop entry on Know Your Meme.