Chiefs get White House invitation to celebrate Super Bowl win. Could Taylor Swift tag along?

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it’s looking forward to hosting the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs again — and it isn’t ruling out having the team’s most-famous fan, Taylor Swift, tag along this time.

Asked at Monday’s press briefing if the pop star could come along as a “plus one” when the team visits the White House to celebrate its second Super Bowl title in as many seasons, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded, “That’s going to be up to the Chiefs, and obviously their decision to figure out who’s going to come with them.”

“I can’t speak to attendance and who will be here,” Jean-Pierre added.

Swift is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and celebrated on the field after his team beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime on Sunday in Las Vegas. She has been the subject of intense media coverage throughout the season, and even sparked anger among some conservatives who spread baseless claims that Swift is part of an elaborate plot to help Democrats win the November election because she could ultimately endorse President Joe Biden’s reelection bid.

Biden’s supporters have made light of such suggestions. The president’s personal account even deadpanned on X immediately after the Super Bowl’s game-winning catch, “Just like we drew it up” over an image of “Dark Brandon” — a meme featuring Biden with lasers for eyes.

Jean-Pierre also got in on the act, opening Monday’s White House briefing by saying she wanted “to extend a big congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on their third Super Bowl win in just five seasons, and also congratulations to all the Swifties out there.”

“The president looks forward to welcoming them back once again to the White House to celebrate their latest victory,” she said.

When pressed on whether the players would be allowed to bring guests, Jean-Pierre said she wasn’t sure of the protocol.

“That’s a good question. I can’t answer that right now. But, look, we are looking forward to having them here, the Chiefs,” she said.

The White House and Biden’s supporters aren’t the only ones blurring the lines between politics and pop stars.

Former President Donald Trump, the front-runner in the Republican presidential primary, posted online ahead of the Super Bowl that, if Swift were to endorse Biden, it would be “disloyal to the man who made her so much money.” Trump continued that he was “responsible for the Music Modernization Act,” which Congress approved in 2018 with strong bipartisan support.

Will Weissert, The Associated Press