Trump Can’t Accept That Taylor Swift Hates Him

Over the years, Donald Trump has repeatedly embarrassed himself by picking fights with musicians who are much cooler than he is, from John Legend to Rihanna. Now it seems Trump has learned his lesson a little too well. Rather than lashing out at Taylor Swift, Trump has taken the opposite approach: He keeps complimenting her publicly and suggesting she might endorse him in the 2024 election. This just makes Trump look pathetic, as it’s quite clear that she won’t.

The latest proof that Trump is in deep denial about his status as a Swift foe comes from the forthcoming book Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass. In a November 2023 interview with the author, Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh, Trump was asked to share his thoughts on the Eras Tour artist.

He could have said something noncommittal. Instead, according to a book excerpt released by Variety, Trump gushed about how “beautiful” Swift is, which is the highest compliment he can think of for a woman:

Trump, usually one to punch back at critics, is smart enough to know Swift’s fame is on another level. “She’s got a great star quality,” Trump says. “She really does.” Trump is effusive as he uses one of his favorite adjectives to describe women — “beautiful” — several times in a row.