The Super Bowl Crowd Reactions to Trump and Taylor Swift Speak Volumes About Post-Woke America

Forget the action on the field: At Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans this past Sunday, the two most talked-about individuals weren’t players—they were President Donald Trump and pop superstar Taylor Swift.

One was met with resounding boos, the other with thunderous applause. If you’re surprised by who got which reaction, it’s clear you haven’t been paying attention to the cultural tides in recent years.

Swift, who recently missed out on a Grammy win, now has another moment to add to her record: watching her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, endure a crushing 40-22 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite the score, the game felt even more one-sided than the numbers suggest.

Even so, Swift once again found herself in the spotlight, thanks to yet another viral camera cutaway. This time, though, the crowd’s reaction wasn’t as warm to the self-proclaimed “childless cat lady” who has publicly supported Kamala Harris.

Arash Markazi’s tweet captured the moment, and while you could argue the Eagles’ vocal fans were responsible, there was a noticeable absence of cheers among the boos—despite the sea of Chiefs jerseys in the Superdome:

Breaking911’s tweet showed the mixed reception Swift received, hinting at a broader cultural shift.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate Swift notably didn’t endorse—yes, the one who actually won—was also present in New Orleans.

His reception? Let’s just say it was the complete opposite:

Nick Adams’ tweet captured the standing ovation President Trump received during the national anthem, a powerful moment considering how divisive the anthem has been in recent years, with NFL players kneeling in protest not long ago.

For many, it was an emotional scene, though the reasons behind the tears may vary depending on who you ask:

Pamela Meyer’s tweet highlighted the stark divide between Trump supporters and those clinging to a different version of reality.

To be clear, there were still plenty of “woke” elements at Super Bowl LIX—most notably during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show (though the vintage Buick GNX was a nice touch). The commercials didn’t shy away from it, either.

Take Bud Light, for instance. In yet another effort to repair the damage done by their controversial partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, they rolled out an ad featuring Shane Gillis, Post Malone, Peyton Manning, and a barbecue-heavy theme:

Deadline’s tweet summed up the campaign, which feels like apology #5,973 (give or take).

But is it working? Not so much. According to Fox Business, Bud Light’s sales are still plummeting nearly two years after the Mulvaney partnership torpedoed its reputation. For the week of Jan. 20, year-over-year sales were down 29.9 percent—on top of declines from 2023.

Bud Light has become synonymous with wokeness, much like Taylor Swift and, by association, the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs had the referees on their side and still lost. Kamala had Taylor and still lost. Taylor enjoys endless praise from music critics but got booed at the Super Bowl. Bud Light had the media and the left shaming boycotters but continues to bleed market share.

The media and pop culture elite detest patriotism, revile those who celebrate it, and relentlessly target the president. Yet, look at who the crowd cheered for on Sunday. That alone tells you everything you need to know about where we stand in post-woke America.