The U.S. presidential election of 2024 is unfolding in a complex and polarized political landscape, and this division has also impacted the actions of celebrities. In response to an AI-modified image suggesting her support for Republican candidate Donald Trump, pop star Taylor Swift confirmed on September 10 that she backs Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Trump reacted by stating on his platform, “Truth Social,” “I hate Taylor Swift.”
Elon Musk, on his “X” (formerly Twitter) account, commented on the assassination attempts targeting Trump, questioning why President Joe Biden or candidate Harris hadn’t faced similar attempts. The White House deemed this comment “irresponsible” and accused Musk of inciting violence before he deleted the post on the morning of September 16. This raises questions about the extent to which non-political celebrities can influence the current U.S. presidential race.
Celebrity Stances
Amid widespread political polarization, both Democratic and Republican camps are utilizing every tool at their disposal to boost their chances in the upcoming November elections. One such tool is leveraging celebrity endorsements to energize the American public. Historian Daniel Boorstin described celebrities as “people known for their fame,” while Australian sociologist Robert van Krieken noted that celebrities possess a unique “capacity to attract attention.”
Due to the growing influence of celebrities, the term “celebrity capital” has emerged. This concept refers to the public’s awareness, affection, and familiarity with celebrities, which in turn can increase perceived trust, credibility, and reliability. Celebrities have played a role in politics in general and particularly in presidential elections. This can be traced back to the 1920 election when film stars like Lillian Russell supported Republican candidate Warren Harding. Given their large fan bases, media access, and ability to engage with national and international institutions, celebrities wield significant influence in promoting their views and stances.
Some of the most prominent positions taken by celebrities in response to the 2024 U.S. presidential race include:
1. Differences Among Art and Sports Stars:
Over the years, prominent Hollywood stars like Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep have played crucial roles in U.S. elections by publicly endorsing candidates. Most analyses suggest that celebrities tend to lean toward the Democratic Party. However, in the current presidential race, some artists have shifted to support Trump. For instance, actor George Clooney’s call for Biden to withdraw from the race is considered a significant factor in Biden’s decision to step aside. Rapper Cardi B, who previously declined to support any candidate, shifted to endorse Harris, despite her criticism of Biden. Author and media figure Martha Stewart, who refrained from endorsing any candidate in 2020, has also voiced her support for Harris.
Support from stars has poured in for the Harris-Walz campaign, with notable endorsements from pop star Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, singer Olivia Rodrigo, actress Barbra Streisand, and musician John Legend. Directors Spike Lee and Ken Burns, along with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, have also thrown their support behind Harris. Meanwhile, British pop star Charli XCX has been credited with rallying Generation Z in favor of Harris. While Beyoncé hasn’t publicly endorsed Harris, her campaign was granted permission to use the song “Freedom” in an official campaign video. Celebrities such as Nick Offerman, Jane Fonda, and Ben Stiller participated in a virtual “Comics for Harris” event, which reportedly raised nearly half a million dollars for the campaign.
On the other hand, musician Kid Rock has been vocal in his support for Trump, while rapper and TV star Amber Rose delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention, attended by musicians Chris Janson and Jason Aldean. Actress Roseanne Barr, a Trump supporter, has called the selection of Walz as Harris’ running mate “another reason why Harris is a disaster.” At a rally in Las Vegas, Trump thanked reggaeton star Nicky Jam for his endorsement. Rapper Azealia Banks, who pledged to vote for Trump, appeared at a rally in Florida this summer. Actor Jon Voight has also repeatedly defended Trump.
It appears that artists tend to favor Harris, while athletes largely support Trump. Among the most vocal supporters of Trump is Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Although NFL star Patrick Mahomes hasn’t publicly backed any candidate yet, Trump acknowledged his wife Brittany Mahomes for her defense of him on social media. Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention, praising him as the “greatest president of the United States.” Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, called voting for Trump “a no-brainer.”
2. Clash Among Technology Giants:
Despite what seems like a general left-leaning trend among tech leaders, the Wall Street Journal reported on August 31, 2024, that Silicon Valley is experiencing “unprecedented political division” among its titans, driven by the ongoing presidential race. A small yet influential group of tech leaders, including Musk, have backed Trump, even openly shifting their political allegiances. Musk’s support for Trump went beyond mere endorsement, as he labeled Democratic tech investor Vinod Khosla as “unhinged.”
On the other hand, Aaron Levie, CEO of Box and a Harris supporter, mocked investor David Sacks’ backing of Trump, attributing it to “cough syrup influence.” Women in tech have overwhelmingly rallied behind Harris, forming groups such as “Tech4Kamala,” “VCs for Kamala,” and “Founders for Kamala” to mobilize support for the Democratic candidate.
Political differences have strained friendships within the tech world. Reid Hoffman and Peter Thiel, who once worked together at PayPal, have seen their relationship sour as Hoffman became a staunch Democratic supporter, donating millions to both Biden’s and Harris’ campaigns, while Thiel backed Trump. Additionally, business ties between Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, and Michael Moritz, former president of Sequoia Capital, have been affected by their political rift. Horowitz described Moritz’s shift from Democrat to Republican as a “mystery.”
Furthermore, Sean Maguire, a partner at Sequoia, tweeted that he had donated $300,000 to Trump’s campaign despite supporting Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Nasim Sayani, a general partner at Emmeline Ventures, described Andreessen Horowitz’s support for Trump as a “shock” to the tech community. The growing political divide within the sector has sparked calls for an end to the polarization, with Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus stating that, despite his history of supporting Democratic causes, he won’t back any candidate in the current election.
Despite what some polls reveal about the modest impact of celebrity endorsements on candidates in U.S. elections, deeper analyses show a more significant influence. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center last May revealed that a limited portion of Americans, about 4%, get most of their political and election-related information from celebrities and social media influencers. In contrast, a study by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University in August found that celebrities play a crucial role in enhancing civic engagement. The study highlighted a gap between what people claim in surveys—that they are not influenced by celebrity voices in politics—and the evidence that shows otherwise.
Commenting on the impact of celebrity endorsements on candidates’ chances, Josephine Harmon, an assistant professor of political science at Northeastern University in London, stated that celebrity support can add “a bit of golden dust to a politician’s image.” Megan Duncan, a communications professor at Virginia Tech, noted that celebrities can generate excitement for a specific candidate, boosting participation. She emphasized that emotional connections with celebrities can help transfer these feelings into political campaigns. Similarly, Anthony J. Nunes, a political science professor at the University of Tennessee, remarked that celebrities influence emotions of excitement, anger, and anxiety toward candidates. Below is an analysis of the key factors through which celebrities influence U.S. presidential elections:
1. The Power of Guidance: Celebrities hold considerable influence in American public life. This power, described in various analyses, including a collaborative study by Alfred Archer and others published in March 2020, is referred to as “epistemic power.” Celebrities can shape “what people think, believe, and know.” This epistemic power is based on perceived credibility and the attention celebrities attract, making them key figures of public interest. Former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter once remarked, “When Hollywood speaks, the world listens.” Similarly, a June 2008 analytical study by Andrew Pease and Paul Brewer found that exposure to news of Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of Democratic candidate Barack Obama during the primaries contributed to a growing belief that he was more likely to win the party’s nomination. Winfrey’s support also increased overall voter participation, leading to approximately one million additional votes for Obama. In the current presidential race, there are concerns within Trump’s campaign about Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris, given her influence over younger voters.
2. Financial Support: Celebrity endorsements go beyond increasing a candidate’s popularity and encouraging voter turnout; they also contribute to financial backing through direct contributions or participation in fundraising events. For instance, actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts helped Biden’s campaign raise $28 million at a Los Angeles event last June, considered a record amount. During Labor Day weekend, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and fashion designer Tory Burch hosted a fundraising campaign for the Democratic Party in New York. Bloomberg reported on September 5 that actors Matt Damon and Lin-Manuel Miranda would attend a Harris fundraiser in New York later that month.
In addition, tech moguls have become financial backers of both presidential candidates. According to The Wall Street Journal, tech leaders funded Harris’s campaign with around $204 million, while Trump’s campaign received about $47.5 million. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman hosted a fundraising event in San Francisco that raised over $13 million for Harris, as reported by The Wall Street Journal on August 31. Meanwhile, public records show that some tech giants are donating to a new pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC, which includes figures with ties to SpaceX and PayPal. This support is expected to grow, especially after Trump’s endorsement of cryptocurrency.
3. Use of Social Media: The rise of social media platforms has enhanced celebrities’ ability to reach vast audiences without the need to go through traditional media “gatekeepers.” Through their large followings on social networks, celebrities can increase the appeal of political candidates during campaign trails. This has led to the view that follower count is a significant measure of celebrity influence, as media exposure is considered “the oxygen” that celebrities breathe. The most significant impact is on younger audiences, who tend to show less interest in following politics, making them more susceptible to being influenced by celebrities’ political stances.
This phenomenon was highlighted in a study by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation last August, which pointed out that “celebrities have a unique ability to connect with younger generations” and that their dominance on social media makes them a central source of information. This was evident in the influence of Taylor Swift, whose Instagram post after the first debate between Trump and Harris, where she expressed support for the Democratic candidate, garnered over a million likes in less than 15 minutes. More than 300,000 people visited the voter registration link she shared, according to a report by NBC News on September 11.
In summary, while celebrities play a significant and clear role in U.S. politics, especially in the ongoing presidential race, it remains challenging to draw a clear line between their influence and other factors affecting the electoral landscape. With celebrities divided between Harris and Trump, determining which side they will tilt in the November 5 election is difficult. Furthermore, the complexity of measuring this influence means we must wait for the results of the polls, which cannot be understood or analyzed based on a single factor like celebrity endorsements. Finally, the issue of manipulation through artificial intelligence remains a challenge, as it may exacerbate divisions rather than provide support for any particular candidate. Given the heated nature of the current race and the widening political polarization, it is clear that celebrities are adding more fuel to an already intense situation.
