Trump Slams Taylor Swift After Star Gets Political

President Trump now likes Taylor Swift 25% less than he did before she revealed her political leanings—but it's not clear whether the president was much of a Swiftie in the first place. After reporters told Trump on Monday that the star had endorsed a Democrat against Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee's Senate race, Trump praised Blackburn for "doing a very good job," CNN reports. "She's a tremendous woman. I'm sure Taylor Swift doesn't know anything about her," the president said, adding: "Let's say that I like Taylor's music about 25% less now, OK?" The Instagram post in which Swift slammed Blackburn and endorsed two Democrats has been liked by more than 1.7 million people.

Trump wasn't the only Republican to condemn Swift after the star broke her long silence on her political beliefs, the BBC reports. The National Republican Senatorial Committee accused her of coming "down from her ivory tower to tell hardworking Tennesseans" how to vote, while Mike Huckabee tweeted that her stance won't influence the election "unless we allow 13 yr old girls to vote." Former music journalist Brian Mansfield tells the Washington Post that Swift's decision to get political now could be linked to the end of her North American tour Saturday. "There's not going to be picketing," he says. "She's not putting her fans at risk because of somebody that might respond inappropriately to this." (More Taylor Swift stories.)