GOP rep says Trump was ‘surprised’ Taylor Swift didn’t support him

Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.) said former President Trump discussed pop star Taylor Swift during his meeting with House Republicans, saying that the former president was “surprised” she did not endorse him.

Cline told The Hill that the former president talked about how “he did sign legislation during his administration to help the songwriters, and that he was surprised that Taylor Swift didn’t — didn’t support him.”

Trump met with House Republicans on Thursday morning before he is scheduled to huddle with Senate Republicans later in the afternoon. He appeared to be referring to the Music Modernization Act, which he signed during his time in office. The act updated musical licensing and copyright law to address key issues for artists in the music industry.

One of the most anticipated endorsements of the 2024 presidential election could come from Swift, who endorsed President Biden in the 2020 election. She also took aim at Trump ahead of the election in 2020, saying on social media that Trump’s “ineffective leadership gravely worsened the crisis that we are in” when talking about the COVID-19 pandemic and requesting mail-in ballots.

She has not weighed in on the presidential election yet as she continues her record-breaking “The Eras Tour,” but the Biden campaign was reportedly trying to get her support earlier this year.

Trump previously said Swift would not give her support to Biden, saying that the president will “never” do anything for the pop star.

“I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists. Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social earlier this year. “There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money.”

Emily Brooks contributed reporting.