President Donald Trump reacted Tuesday to the news of pop superstar Taylor Swift’s engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, offering unexpected praise for both despite a rocky history with Swift.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter for his reaction to what was dubbed “the biggest pop culture news of the year” — Swift’s announcement on Instagram that she and Kelce are engaged.
Trump, known for his pointed jabs at political and celebrity opponents, struck a surprisingly warm tone:
President Trump on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engagement: “I wish them a lot of luck. I think he’s a great player. I think he’s a great guy and I think that she’s a terrific person, so I wish them a lot of luck.” pic.twitter.com/xMd8wgMTZW
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 26, 2025
“I wish them a lot of luck,” the president said. “I think he’s a great player. I think he’s a great guy. And I think that she’s a terrific person. So I wish them a lot of luck.”
Swift had posted the announcement on Instagram just moments earlier, sharing a photo of Kelce on one knee.
“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” she captioned the post, referring to long-running internet jokes about the couple’s contrasting personas.
Trump’s congratulatory remarks marked a notable shift from his previous comments about Swift, who endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
In February, when Kelce and the Chiefs lost Super Bowl 59 to the Philadelphia Eagles, Trump mocked Swift on Truth Social after the singer was allegedly booed by fans in New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome.
“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump wrote at the time. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. [Make America Great Again] is very unforgiving!”
That moment sparked days of media coverage and highlighted the ongoing tensions between the president and the pop singer.
Trump reignited the feud again in April 2025 during a White House ceremony honoring the Eagles’ championship win.
“I was watching in person. I was there along with Taylor Swift — how did that work out?” Trump quipped, prompting laughter from the audience.
The dynamic between Trump and Swift was particularly intense in the 2024 election cycle, when Swift publicly endorsed Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN).
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift wrote to her millions of Instagram followers in September 2024.
She signed the message as a “Childless Cat Lady,” a pointed clapback to then–vice presidential candidate JD Vance, who had previously disparaged “childless cat ladies” in politics.
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The endorsement and Swift’s post-election fundraising efforts for Harris added a political edge to her public persona and further widened the gap between her and the Trump campaign.
Still, on Tuesday, politics appeared to take a back seat — at least temporarily — as Trump offered kind words and well wishes to both Swift and Kelce.