Taylor Swift's response to presidential debate? She quickly endorsed Kamala Harris.

Taylor Swift is endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election, the pop star revealed Tuesday night following the presidential debate between Harris and former President Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post shared after the debate, Swift wrote in a caption of a photo of her with her cat that she "will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz."

"I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades," she wrote.

Swift's endorsement was posted just a few minutes after the debate ended. She also urged fans to register to vote.

During her 18-year career, Swift has so far publicly endorsed only three candidates, including Biden in the 2020 race for president.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Many were waiting for Swift's endorsement in the 2024 election, knowing the pop star has the power to move her fans, and speculating she would endorse Harris. Swift has more than 283 million followers on Instagram and has used this platform in the past to encourage her fanbase to register and vote. In the fall of 2023, she helped get more than 30,000 voters registered in just one day. Some swing states in 2020 were decided by less than that margin.

Taylor Swift politics analysis:Why do we care who she votes for?

“We’re thrilled about Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz – like we've said since starting Swifties For Kamala, we've had no doubt that Taylor would endorse at the right time and are excited about the momentum she will bring to this campaign," said Irene Kim, co-founder + executive director of Swifties For Kamala, shortly after Swift posted in support of Harris.

The pop icon's popularity seems only to be growing. She is nearing the end of her almost two-year long Eras Tour — the highest-grossing tour of all time — added two Grammys this year to her total of 14, was named Time magazine's 2023 person of the year, released the chart-topping "The Tortured Poets Department" album, and her Eras Tour concert film is the highest-grossing concert film of all time.

There had been speculation that Swift would appear at the Democratic National Convention, where stars such as Oprah, The Chicks, Pink, Mindy Kaling and John Legend threw their support behind Harris.

Her endorsement addressed subjects from IVF to LGBTQ+ rights. Within an hour of posting, more than 3 million people had liked the post, ranging from Chrissy Teigen and Selena Gomez to Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Olympic soccer midfielder Rose Lavelle.

"Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country," Swift wrote.

"Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted to his site," Swift wrote, referencing Trump taking to his social media platform Truth Social and posting several suspected artificial intelligence-generated images alluding to Swift and Swifties' support for his campaign, despite the singer vocalizing disdain for the Republican nominee in the past.

"It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth," she said.

Trump appeared in the spin room after the debate and spoke to reporters. Asked for his reaction to Swift's endorsement of Harris, he replied, "I have no idea."

Get all your Taylor news firstSubscribe to our Taylor Swift reporter's weekly newsletter, This Swift Beat

Swift, who has helped drive people to register to vote in past elections, apparently will do so again.

"I've done my research, and I've made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it's much easier to vote early. I'll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story," she said. Her Instagram story included a link to vote.gov where people can register to vote or update their registration.

She signed the message "With love and hope, Taylor Swift," adding "Childless Cat Lady" in a direct dig at comments made by Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance. The Republican vice presidential nominee came under fire for his "childless cat lady" remarks in July, when a 2021 interview resurfaced in which he labeled women without biological children, including Harris, as "childless cat ladies" with "no direct stake" in America.  

Evolution of Taylor Swift's political voice

In 2012, the singer told Norwegian journalist Fredrik Skavlan why she didn't voice her political opinions. "I just figure I'm a 22-year-old singer and I don't know if people really want to hear my political views," she said. "I think they just kind of want to hear me sing songs about breakups and feelings." The audience laughed, and the host moved on.

The singer stayed mum in the 2016 matchup between Trump and Hillary Clinton. She kicked the hinges off the political closet in 2018 endorsing U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in his 2018 re-election bid to Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, and Biden in the 2020 race for president.

In 2020, the singer explained in her documentary "Miss Americana" why she stopped being afraid to voice her opinion. When warned by her publicist about Trump coming after her, Swift quipped, "I don't care. If I get bad press for saying, 'Don't put a homophobic racist in office,' then I get bad press for that."

The year 2020 was an active one for the singer on X, formerly Twitter. She posted a series of political tweets, anti-Trump tweets and Harris retweets.

She baked cookies with "Biden 2020" frosting and spoke to V Magazine about speaking up.

"The change we need most is to elect a president who recognizes that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies, and that the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be acknowledged and included," she said. "I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential election. Under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs."

How much pull could Taylor Swift's endorsement have?

Swift's power is massive among her diverse fan base that she habitually has encouraged to register and vote. In the fall of 2023, she helped get more than 30,000 voters registered in just one day. Some swing states in 2020 were decided by less than that margin.

"She has enormous potential to deliver a message, including an endorsement, that could carry considerable weight with some of the voters that both parties need to attract and motivate," says Nancy Gibbs, the Edward R. Murrow Professor of the Practice of Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. "Influence is not the same as power; it’s more about faith than force, more a skill than a tool. She has shown she can wield it extremely effectively and shrewdly."

Swift has nine shows left in the U.S.: three in Miami, three in New Orleans and three in Indianapolis. Her final of three shows in Indianapolis is on Nov. 3, two days before the election.

Read Taylor Swift's full statement endorsing Kamala Harris, Tim Walz

"Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven't already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.

Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.

I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.

I've done my research, and I've made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it's much easier to vote early. I'll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.

With love and hope,

Taylor SwiftChildless Cat Lady"

Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Rachel Barber, Maya Homan