when Fox News Host Jesse Watters suggested this week that pop singer Taylor Swift could be a “front for a secret political agenda,” and Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh responded in a statement, saying:
“As for this conspiracy theory, we will get rid of it.”
The Pentagon is a symbol of the US military and is often used as a metaphor for the Department of Defense and its leadership. Sabrina Singh's statement was in reference to Swift's song, get rid of.
As news of this interaction spread on X (formerly Twitter), netizens took to the comments section to respond.
On January 9 during his show jesse watters prime time, Jesse Watters said,
“About four years ago, the Pentagon's Psychological Operations Unit floated the idea of turning Taylor Swift into an asset… It's true. The Pentagon's Psychological Operations Unit urged NATO to turn Taylor Swift into an asset to combat online disinformation.”
Watters proceeded to show a clip from a 2019 conference organized by NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence, where a presenter named Taylor Swift was an example of a powerful influencer.
'We truly live in an age of bizarre rumours,' netizens say about Pentagon rumors about Taylor Swift
As rumors spread about Taylor Swift's connection to the Pentagon, netizens took to X to express their opinions. While some have called the rumors “weird,” others believe that jumping on Taylor's influence trend has become normal and common.
However, others want to leave the pop star alone. Some have even suggested that the fact that Swift is associated with the government explains her widespread success and stardom.
Voice.org CEO Andrea Healy also responded to the rumors on January 10, saying:
“Not a psychological operation or a Pentagon asset. Just America's largest nonpartisan platform helping young people register and cast their ballot.”
These rumors come after Swift's recent rapid success. It was named Time magazine's 2023 Person of the Year after being recognized as one of the best-selling artists of all time.
