Former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney isn’t shy about critiquing Donald Trump, especially after his recent outburst against pop icon Taylor Swift. On Sunday, Trump vented on his platform Truth Social, exclaiming, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” after she endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election.
In their first debate meeting on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Trump and Harris sparred over key topics like abortion, the economy, and immigration. Post-debate, Swift took to Instagram to endorse Harris, calling her a “steady-handed, gifted leader,” and emphasized the need for calm leadership over chaos.
Cheney, an outspoken Trump critic who recently declared her support for Harris, wasted no time responding to Trump’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter). She quipped, “Says the smallest man who ever lived,” referencing one of Swift’s songs from her latest album The Tortured Poets Department.
This jab comes on the heels of Trump attacking Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, labeling him an “irrelevant RINO” after he backed Harris. Trump also took a swing at Liz, falsely claiming she’d endured the largest congressional election loss, when in reality, her defeat in 2022 was significant but not historic.
Earlier this month, Cheney publicly endorsed Harris during a talk at Duke University, emphasizing the threat Trump poses: “As a conservative, I’m voting for Kamala Harris.” Her candid remarks prompted a standing ovation and she urged voters in key states to avoid writing in candidates, stressing the importance of a unified front against Trump.
Ironically, Trump’s latest criticism of Swift contrasts with earlier attempts to engage her fanbase, including AI-generated images portraying her and her supporters as Trump fans—an effort Swift cited as a reason for her endorsement of Harris. Notably, Swift signed her post as “Childless Cat Lady,” a nod to past Republican comments about Democratic women.
The impact of Swift’s endorsement was swift itself, drawing over 300,000 visits to Vote.gov within 24 hours. An ABC News/Ipsos poll revealed mixed reactions: only 6% of adults felt more inclined to vote for Harris because of Swift, while 13% said it made them less likely to support her—largely from the Trump base. A significant 81% indicated it wouldn’t affect their votes.
Cheney’s criticism of Trump has solidified her status as a formidable Republican voice against him. Her role as vice chair of the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot and her impeachment vote against Trump have made her a target for backlash within her party. In her memoir, Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning, she explores the insurrection events and the ongoing threats to democracy, warning against Trump’s potential bid for power beyond his term.
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign has sought to undermine Cheney, highlighting a clip where she labeled Harris a “radical liberal,” and including an anecdote in his book, Save America, about her previous interactions with him at the White House.