Overnight Editor, HuffPost
Donald Trump repeatedly fawned over Taylor Swift in newly released audio ― but it’s not her skills as a singer, songwriter and live performer that had the former president so enchanted.
It’s her looks.
In audio from author Ramin Setoodeh that was played Wednesday on CNN, Trump says he has heard that Swift is talented, but largely focused on how “beautiful” she is.
He used that word five times in about 20 seconds:
Trump on Taylor Swift: I think she’s beautiful— very beautiful. I find her very beautiful. I think she’s liberal. She probably doesn’t like Trump.. I think she’s very beautiful, actually— unusually beautiful pic.twitter.com/s3AYheNXBv
A transcript released about a fortnight ago also shows Trump fawning over Swift’s beauty while he admits her music is a blank space to him as he doesn’t know it all too well.
He also questioned whether Swift is liberal, or just pretending.
Swift hasn’t said much yet about the 2024 race other than to encourage fans to vote in the primaries, but in 2020 slammed Trump for “stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism.”
She endorsed President Joe Biden in 2020, and Biden’s team is reportedly hoping she will do so again.
Trump’s critics on X (formerly Twitter) found his latest comments about her looks to be more than a little creepy:
Stay away from Taylor you creepy old man. – America
Wow seen this quote printed before but hearing him actually say it is extremely creepy https://t.co/emO9PJlcqo
The best selling artist in the world for the last 2 years, 4 years in total, who fills stadiums Trump could only dream of filling 1/4 of, who is a quality roll model for millions while using her influence and resources to work to improve lives, yet all Trump can do is creepily…
Always a creeper ooogling young women. https://t.co/eulJGNNuEQ
No mention of Taylor Swift’s intelligence, talent or success. Only typical womanizing comments about her physical looks.
Donald Trump proves over & over that he sees all women as objects, nothing more.
What an asshole.. 🙄
So cringe. He’s giving me the ick. https://t.co/huogBKrch4
“I hear she’s very talented, but I think she’s very beautiful”–a classic Trump banger https://t.co/LhCyiNdghz
Yuck. https://t.co/BMi2KtTz3k
I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not’ve got ’em
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