Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed this week on endorsing a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
On Wednesday, Mahomes spoke to reporters ahead of the team’s practice for an upcoming game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals and was asked about the upcoming presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I don’t want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way,” the three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback said. “I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It’s to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family.”
The comments from Mahomes came shortly after Taylor Swift endorsed Harris for president. Swift is currently dating Mahomes’ teammate, Travis Kelce, who plays tight-end for the Chiefs.
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift posted to Instagram. “I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
Musician Taylor Swift (L) speaks to football star Patrick Mahomes (R) while football player Travis Kelce is seen behind them in the stands atthe U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 8, 2024. On Wednesday, Mahomes declined to endorse a candidate in the 2024 election.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images
In her endorsement, the 14-time Grammy winner noted that it was Trump’s use of a fake AI Swift endorsing him that “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter.”
“The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” Swift added in her social media post.
However, on Wednesday, Trump spoke with Fox News‘ Fox & Friends, where he criticized Swift’s decision and compared her to Brittany Mahomes—the singer’s friend and alleged Trump supporter.
“It was only a matter of time,” Trump said of Swift’s endorsement. “You couldn’t possibly endorse Biden. But [Swift is] a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat and she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace. But I l like Brittany. Brittany is great. She’s the one I like much better than Taylor Swift. Wife of the great quarterback [Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs]. I think she’s terrific.”
“She’s a big Trump fan. I like Brittany. I think Brittany is great,” Trump added.
Last month, Brittany Mahomes liked and then unliked a post on Instagram from Trump, prompting some criticism online.
Brittany Mahomes has largely avoided the political spotlight since, except for responding to criticism on social media. In one post, she fired back at detractors, writing: “To be a hater as an adult, you have to have some deep-rooted issues you refuse to heal from childhood.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
