What Is the Taylor Swift Conspiracy Theory?
On Jan. 9, Fox News host Jesse Watters told viewers on his conservative talk show that “around four years ago, the Pentagon’s psychological operations unit floated turning Taylor Swift into an asset.”
Source: John Lamparski/Getty Images
Watters then showed a clip from a 2019 conference organized NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence, in which the presenters appeared to name Taylor Swift as a powerful influencer.
Is Taylor Swift a Pentagon Psy-Op?
The “Jesse Watters Primetime” host then referenced Swift’s recent partnership with the nonpartisan organization Vote.org to encourage young people to register to vote in the 2024 elections.
Source: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Watters suggested that Swift’s influence could be “a front for a covert political agenda,” asking his viewers: “Have you ever wondered why or how she blew up like this?”
The Pentagon “Shakes It Off”
The clip went instantly viral online, with a conspiracy theory rapidly spreading that Swift is a “Pentagon psy-op” used to combating misinformation online. While Swift didn’t respond to this theory, the Pentagon stepped up to put an end to the misinformation.
Source: Secretary of Defense Public Affairs/Flickr
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh pushed back against Watters’s claim, saying, “… as for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off,” referencing one of Swift’s biggest hits (via Politico).
The Pentagon Refocuses Its Goals
The Pentagon spokesperson continued to reference Swift, telling Congress that “I Wish You Would” grant the administration its supplemental budget request.
Source: The U.S. National Archives
“But that does highlight that we still need Congress to approve our supplemental budget request as Swift-ly as possible so we can be out of the woods with potential fiscal concerns,” Singh added.
Others Confirm Taylor Swift is Not a Psy-Op
Vote.org chief Andrea Hailey took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to push back against the implications that Swift is a Pentagon “asset.”
Source: Andrea Hailey/X
In her post, Hailey wrote: “Not a psy-op or a Pentagon asset. Just the biggest nonpartisan platform in America helping young people register & cast their vote.”
Whoopi Goldberg Pushes Back Against the Conspiracy
Whoopi Goldberg had enough of the conservative conspiracy theory involving the pop star (via Entertainment Weekly). During an episode of “The View,” the Oscar-winning actor said, “This is what the Fox News folks wanted viewers to be worried about during their prime-time broadcast on Tuesday.”
Source: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
“There are real issues impacting millions of Americans,” Goldberg said, punctuating her remark about the comments made by Watters.
When Did Taylor Swift Become Political?
Funny enough, Swift has been outspoken in recent years on a handful of political issues, including supporting LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, and gun safety reform. Swift gave fans her reasoning for becoming more outspoken in her Netflix documentary, “Taylor Swift: Miss Americana.”
Source: John Medina/Getty Images
Before 2018, Swift believed that her platform was not to influence but to entertain. However, at a moment when Swift was being stripped of years of hard work and her well-crafted public image, Swift decided to change.
Taylor Swift Reveals Her Political Beliefs
In 2018, Swift intervened on behalf of Democrats in a midterm election in her home state of Tennessee. The announcement “felt like a hammer across the Trump-worshiping subforums of the far-right Internet, where people had convinced themselves… that the world-famous pop star was a secret MAGA fan,” according to the Washington Post.
Source: Netflix/YouTube
After she became politically involved, the pop star enlisted tens and thousands of young people as residents to vote. Even though her candidate of choice lost in Tennessee, Swift was embarking on a new era of her life and career.
Other Pop Stars Who Asked Fans to Register to Vote
Swift isn’t the only pop star to ask their fans to register to vote. Ariana Grande famously encouraged audiences at her Sweetener Tour to register to vote by texting ‘ARIANA’ to a registration number.
Source: Ariana Grande/Instagram
Harry Styles has also launched a campaign to offer fans who verify their status as a registered voter in the U.S. a chance to attend his Harryween concert in L.A.
Is the Taylor Swift Conspiracy Theory True?
Voting registration has been something that major pop stars have been pushing to get a new generation of voters to the polls, advocating for their rights. However, asking fans to register to vote does not make a pop star a Pentagon “asset.”
Source: Taylor Swift/Instagram
Unfortunately, it is unclear if Watters believes in his conspiracy theory or wants to grab everyone’s attention–which he did.
Being a Global Sensation Comes With Pit-Falls
Taylor Swift is a global sensation, with everyone writing articles about her outfits that allude to her “Reputation” re-recording, which will drop without warning, to her appearance at NFL games. She is the moment, and everyone will capitalize on that.
Source: Jason Hanna/Getty Images
Why is it happening as we go into election season? The pop star was in hiding for several years and we forgot how big of a headline Swift can make. Nothing has changed. At least the conspiracy was a fun theory.