During a cabinet meeting on 26/8, a reporter informed Trump of Swift's engagement, asking for his reaction. "I wish them a lot of luck," the former president said. "I think Travis Kelce is a great player and Taylor Swift is a wonderful person. So, I wish them well."

Portraits of former US president Donald Trump, 79, and singer Taylor Swift, 36. Photo: AP/ Variety

According to international news outlets, Trump's response surprised many, given his past public criticism of the "Fortnight" singer. In 9/2024, Trump posted "I hate Taylor Swift" on his Truth Social platform, days after Swift endorsed Kamala Harris during the previous year's presidential election. Harris was the Democratic candidate and Trump's opponent in the race for the White House. He had also previously stated on Fox & Friends that he was "not a Taylor Swift fan".

In May, Trump posted about Swift again, declaring she was "no longer famous". On 4/8, he mentioned her once more on his platform, referencing the incident where she was booed by the audience while attending the Super Bowl earlier that year.

Travis Kelce proposes to Taylor Swift in a flower-filled garden. The post garnered nearly 25 million likes in less than two days. Photo: Instagram/ Taylor Swift

News of Swift's engagement quickly spread across international news and social media. On 26/8, the couple announced their engagement with a series of photos on Instagram captioned, "Your English teacher and gym teacher are getting married." The caption references Swift and her fiance: Swift earned the nickname due to her use of sophisticated vocabulary and literary references in her music, while Kelce is a well-known athlete.

In addition to Trump, numerous celebrities congratulated the couple. "Espresso" singer Sabrina Carpenter and supermodel Cara Delevingne shared Swift's engagement post on their Instagram Stories. The post also received likes from notable accounts like those of Prince William's family, the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, actress Lea Michele, comedian Nikki Glaser, and author Jenny Han.

Born in 1989, Swift is known as the "princess of country music". Since her debut in 2006, she has achieved numerous accolades. In her nearly 20-year career, she has won 14 Grammy Awards, 30 VMAs, and headlined several major tours. In 2023, she was named TIME's "Person of the Year". In 11/2024, Billboard ranked her second on their list of the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century. According to Forbes, her current net worth is 1.6 billion USD. Her latest album, "The Life a Showgirl", is scheduled for release on 3/10.

Swift and Kelce's relationship began when he attended her The Eras Tour concert in Kansas City in July 2023. They began dating discreetly and went public with their relationship in September of the same year.

Phuong Thao (via Variety, People)