Fact Check: Did Taylor Swift Hold 'Trump Won' Flag at Grammys?

Taylor Swift's double win at the Grammys this weekend has added to an astonishing year for the singer, whose record-breaking Eras tour has netted her more than $1 billion.

Swift—who took home two awards, album of the year and best pop vocal album for Midnights, her 10th studio album—has been getting headlines beyond the pop world for speculation about whether she will endorse Joe Biden for president.

As Swift collected her awards, a video that has now been viewed more than a million times spread on social media. It showed the singer holding up a pro-Donald-Trump flag at the ceremony, despite her previous criticisms of the former president.

The Claim

A Monday post on X (formerly Twitter) by user @PapiTrumpo, viewed 1.7 million times, showed her holding a flag that read "TRUMP WON DEMOCRATS CHEATED!" at the Grammys.

The Facts

The sophistication of video editing technology has made creating realistic, phony media easier than ever. This video is just one example.

Swift's expressed views on Trump—and the lack of coverage beyond social media— clearly indicate why the video is not authentic. And as footage from the Grammys shows, Swift was not once seen with a Trump flag or other pro-Trump paraphernalia. The original video, showing Swift's red carpet walk at the Grammys, does not show a pro-Trump or anti-Democrat flag.

This kind of unbelievable content may be intentionally provocative, hoping to incite the singer's fans or Trump detractors. Or it may be an attempt to attract easy engagement based on the popularity of Swift and the Grammys. In any case, its intention was not communicated by user @PapiTrumpo, who wrote alongside the clip: "AWWW... THANK YOU!!!"

This is not even the first time in the past week that Swift content has been altered with a pro-Trump message.

Last week, conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted a photo of Swift holding up the same flag. Johnson wrote beside the post: "Is this real?"

The image was edited from a photo taken in September 2023 at a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The fake photo was posted only days after Swift was pictured at the Chiefs' AFC championship game against the Baltimore Ravens on January 28.

The Ruling

False.

Taylor Swift was not pictured at the Grammys with a pro-Trump flag, as official footage published by the Grammys shows. This is part of a pattern of phony footage posted recently online that depicts Swift showing support for the former president. The singer has previously spoken out against Trump.

FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team