Conspiracy theories about Swift, Kelce, the NFL and the Democratic Party are spreading widely this Super Bowl season. Here, we dig into their origins and why their theses are baseless.
As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to play the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas this Sunday, conspiracy theories are swirling around Taylor Swift and her football-player boyfriend Travis Kelce. They have taken on a distinctly political shape: Will the couple endorse President Biden for re-election? Is Swift part of a government influence campaign?
The theories, some old and many new, are not based in fact. Instead, they rest on conjecture, false assumptions and tenuous links to public gestures the two have made over the years. Since 2018, Swift has endorsed Democratic politicians—including Biden in 2020—and encouraged people to register to vote.
Her tight-end boyfriend has appeared in ads for Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine and Bud Light, and has kneeled during the national anthem at games, a form of protest popularized by Colin Kaepernick. But neither has gone as far as to appear at campaign rallies, as other stars have. Representatives for Swift and Kelce did not respond to requests for comment.