Will Taylor Swift make a DNC appearance? What to know about her past political backings

As the Democratic National Convention in Chicago stretches into its third day, numerous celebrities, athletes and politicians have graced the stage and the stands of the United Center as the party gears up to hear from its nominee for president, Vice President Kamala Harris.

But many are crossing their fingers that one big name will make an appearance in the Windy City: Taylor Swift.

As Swift wraps up her European leg of the Eras Tour, she is in the political spotlight for yet another time this election year, following attention from recent posts made by former President Donald Trump. Images in the post feature suspected artificial intelligence-generated images of Swift as Uncle Sam and others of "Swifties for Trump" supporters.

The discussion around who Swift will endorse, if she publicly backs a candidate at all, has lingered since right-wing conspiracies generated by Republican political pundits were spread about the singer and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in February.

They speculated the couple would come out to midfield during the Super Bowl halftime to endorse President Joe Biden as Democratic campaign plants.

Now, rumors have been swirling around whether Swift, along with Beyoncé, will back Democrats in Chicago this week. While Beyoncé gave Harris' campaign the go-ahead to use her song "Freedom," there has been no indication that Swift will make an appearance at the DNC, despite past her criticism of Trump and endorsement of President Joe Biden in 2020.

What have Swift's past political endorsements looked like?

Swift started out avoiding politics early in her career, telling a Norwegian journalist in 2012, "I just figure I'm a 22-year-old singer and I don't know if people really want to hear my political views. I think they just kind of want to hear me sing songs about breakups and feelings."

But her political voice got louder over the years.

• In 2018, she endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen, D-Tennessee, calling his opponent, Marsha Blackburn, "Trump in a wig."

• In 2022, after Roe v. Wade was overturned, she tweeted, "I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are — that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that."

• Last year when she encouraged people to register to vote, a record 35,000 people rushed to do so.

Swift most notably endorsed President Joe Biden and Harris weeks before the 2020 election in a Vouge interview and a social media post featuring her holding a plate of frosted "Biden Harris 2020" cookies. She also encouraged fans to get out and vote, and expressed regret she didn't speak out in 2016 before Trump won.

“The change we need most is to elect a president who recognizes that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies, and that the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be acknowledged and included,” Swift told Vogue.

“Everyone deserves a government that takes global health risks seriously and puts the lives of its people first,” she continued.

Swifties speculate about the singer's 2024 endorsements

If Swift's fanbase is known for anything, it's decoding the singer's Easter eggs and hidden messages that she sprinkles throughout songs, shows, videos and posts. And now many are speculating whether or when she will drop an endorsement for Harris soon and how she will do it.

The Eras Tour finished a stop in London Tuesday, where Swifties debated when she will announce the rerelease of her album “Reputation,” the likelihood she will endorse Harris and whether she will make a big spectacle of her potential backing of the vice president or if she take a more delicate route.

Meghan Connors of Joplin, Missouri, agreed, saying Swift has already passively endorsed Harris.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t publicly endorse her by the end of September or maybe mid-October,” Connors, 30, said. “I think she’ll promote it on social media, but don’t think she’s going to the DNC. American politics can get so volatile or so aggressive, you look at the Capitol attack. She wouldn’t put herself in that much of the public eye because it would be dangerous.”

Rochelle Ulloa from Los Angeles thinks Swift has planned out when she will make a political move.

“It's like all eyes are on Taylor to make a move, but she's always made a good, honest effort,” Ulloa said. “Like she supported President Biden in the last campaign, and I think she just waits for when the time is right.”

Could Taylor Swift make it to the DNC in Chicago?

Easily.

But, there has been no indication from Swift or the DNC that she plans any sort of involvement with the convention.

Her calendar does give her time to show up if she did want to appear.

Swift's last international concert was Tuesday, Aug. 20, and the DNC runs through Thursday when Harris will formally accept the nomination. Her next tour stop is in Florida nearly two months later — plenty of time for someone with their own private jet to make it back to the states.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Could Taylor Swift make a DNC appearance? Yes, but it's not likely