From Robert De Niro to Taylor Swift to Ben Stiller, how did some of America’s most recognizable people play their cards?
Celebrity voices have entered the 2024 presidential race in a variety of ways in recent weeks, with some of the biggest names in American politics and Hollywood lending their support to one particular candidate in hopes of influencing the outcome in November.
Taylor Swift and her support for Kamala Harris
Billionaire pop star Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris in an Instagram post Tuesday night, minutes after a debate between Harris and Donald Trump concluded. A post that included a photo of herself holding a cat — and which she signed “Childless Cat Lady” — was a dig at Trump ’s running mate J.D. Vance , who has used that term to refer to Democratic leaders.
Prior to this endorsement, the pop star had periodically criticized Trump in recent years and opposed his re-election bid, though she had not hinted at whether she would actively participate in this race. Despite spending more than 15 years in the public eye, Swift ‘s first political endorsement came in 2018, when she supported Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen over Republican Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee , where Swift was registered to vote at the time. The singer claimed, «This is something that I know is right and I need to be on the right side of history» (Blackburn ultimately won by nearly 11 points).
Roughly two years later, Swift endorsed President Joe Biden and his then-running mate Harris , telling V Magazine that the decision was partly because the United States needed a leader who «recognized that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women have the right to make decisions about their bodies, and that the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be recognized and included.»
In August 2020, Swift criticized Trump after he admitted to blocking funding to the United States Postal Service ahead of the election and the Democratic push for mail-in voting, pointing to his «calculated dismantling of the USPS» and claiming that he chose to «blatantly cheat and put the lives of millions of Americans at risk in an effort to cling to power.»
Swift added that Trump ‘s «ineffective leadership» «seriously exacerbated the crisis we find ourselves in,» likely referring to the pandemic.
Although she did not endorse any candidate after the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, Swift continued to encourage her followers to vote, frequently posting voter registration links and information ahead of key dates.
Public figures played their game
Actors including Matt Damon and Lin-Manuel Miranda will participate in a fundraiser in New York City later this month, where tickets are listed at $25,000 per person, to support Harris’ candidacy alongside Tim Walz , Bloomberg reported Thursday.
Trump thanked Brittany Mahomes , wife of NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes , for «standing up for him» after she responded to fans who criticized her for liking several pro-Trump social media posts last month (although Mahomes has not officially endorsed any candidate).
Over Labor Day weekend , a fundraiser for the Democratic Party was held in Southampton , New York, hosted by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and fashion designer Tory Burch , among others.
Nick Offerman, Jane Fonda, Ben Stiller, Kathy Griffin, John Stamos, Ed Helms, Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz participated in a virtual «Comics for Harris» event via Zoom last month that raised nearly half a million dollars for Harris ‘s campaign .
Other celebrities who endorsed Harris
Some of Hollywood ’s biggest names endorsed Biden before he dropped out of the race, then turned their support to Harris . Olivia Rodrigo backed the vice president by sharing a video of a speech in which Harris promised to stop Trump ’s extreme abortion bans .
Prominent Democratic fundraiser George Clooney , who in a New York Times essay called on Biden to drop out of the race, voiced his support for Harris , as did Barbra Streisand , who endorsed the candidate over her promise to fight for reproductive rights. Musician John Legend , who performed at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, expressed that he was “more than ready” for a Harris presidency . Other names who have voiced support for Harris include director Spike Lee , “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin , director Ken Burns , Star Wars actor Mark Hamill , and actresses Rosie O’Donnell and Jamie Lee Curtis .
On the other hand, Robert De Niro , who narrated an ad for Biden ‘s campaign , praised the president’s «selfless patriotism» in a statement that did not mention Harris but stressed the importance of defeating Donald Trump at the polls. Singer Charli XCX also showed her support for Harris , having the candidate’s team adopt the green color and typography used on one of the British artist’s albums.
Cardi B , who in May stated she would not endorse Biden , posted an enthusiastic tweet in support of Harris , while Kesha also confirmed her support, expressing her distaste for Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance . Although Beyoncé did not publicly endorse any candidate, she did allow Harris ’ campaign to use her song “Freedom” in a video.
Other notable names include former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle , and Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary , who also showed their support for Harris ‘s candidacy .
Who supported Trump?
Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan caused a stir at the Republican National Convention last month by ripping off his shirt and revealing a Trump and Vance campaign T-shirt underneath, calling Trump his «hero» and «America’s greatest president.» Kid Rock was a vocal defender of Trump , and at the event he performed a revamped version of his song «American Bad Ass» featuring references to the former president. Dana White , president of the UFC , praised Trump for being «the toughest, most resilient human being.»
Reality TV star Amber Rose gave a speech at the Republican National Convention in support of Trump . Other names who participated include musicians Chris Janson and Jason Aldean . Dave Portnoy , founder of Barstool Sports , claimed in January that voting for Trump over Biden was an “easy” decision. Celebrities including Elon Musk and Steve Wynn also showed their support for the former president. Actress Rosanne Barr , known for her endorsement of Trump , criticized Mark Cuban ’s support for Harris , while actor Jon Voight publicly defended Trump on multiple occasions.
