Taylor Swift Reportedly 'Takes Action' Over a Donald Trump Post Bragging About Zero 'Illegals'

Taylor Swift's 'Father Figure' was no longer audible on a Team Trump Instagram post by Thursday, 24 September 2026, after the account used the track on a political graphic featuring President Donald Trump.

The post was shared on 23 September and claimed that US border crossings had increased. The @TeamTrump post used artwork styled around Swift's 'Patient Zero' rollout and claimed that 'Zer(illegals) have crossed our borders in 16+ months.'

It initially carried 'Father Figure' as its soundtrack. By the following day, the post displayed the message, 'This sound isn't available.'

The border wording needs qualification. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show Southwest Border Patrol recorded 6,068 apprehensions in June 2025, 4,596 in July and 6,321 in August. Those totals were low by recent standards, but they were not zero.

The Trump administration has made a separate claim about releases after apprehension. On 9 September 2026, the White House said Border Patrol had released no 'illegal alien' into the country for 15 straight months. CBP later announced 16 consecutive months of zero releases. That is not the same measure as crossings or apprehensions.

Taylor Swift Audio Removal Remains Unconfirmed

The missing audio quickly prompted speculation that Swift or her representatives had intervened. Available reports, however, cite no confirmation from Swift, Team Trump, Instagram or Meta explaining who removed the track or why.

That distinction is crucial. The confirmed development is simply that 'Father Figure' initially accompanied the post and later became unavailable. Saying Swift 'took action' would assign a cause that has not been established.

There is relevant history. In August 2026, Reuters reported that Swift songs had disappeared from several social media posts published by the White House and Trump's campaign. One Team Trump TikTok had used 'August' over footage of Donald and Melania Trump watching fireworks.

Reuters said neither the White House nor a Swift representative immediately responded to requests for comment about those removals. Swift had not publicly explained them.

The political history between Swift and Trump is clearer. Swift endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election after supporting Joe Biden in 2020. Five days after her Harris endorsement, Trump posted 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!' on Truth Social on 15 September 2024.

He referred to her again in May 2025, writing, 'Has anyone noticed that, since I said 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,' she's no longer 'HOT?'' Those exchanges help explain the attention around another Trump-linked post using her music. They do not show what happened behind the scenes this time.

Other Artists Have Objected To Trump-Linked Music Use

Other musicians have made direct, public objections when their songs appeared in Trump administration or campaign material.

In December 2025, the White House used Sabrina Carpenter's 'Juno' in a social media video showing immigration enforcement arrests. Carpenter responded, 'This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.'

Ariana Grande objected in June 2026 after the White House used 'Bye' in a TikTok video showing federal immigration enforcement activity. She wrote, 'Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.'

Reuters reported that a source close to Grande said her team was looking into removing the song. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the video, saying, 'what's actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.'

Earlier disputes involved other artists. ABBA asked Trump's campaign in 2024 to stop using its music at rallies, with Universal Music saying no permission or licence had been granted. Céline Dion's representatives separately described the campaign's use of one of her performances as unauthorised.

In Swift's latest case, the Team Trump post remained accessible after 'Father Figure' disappeared. No public explanation from Swift, her representatives, Team Trump or Instagram had established who caused the audio change.