What is the Music Modernisation Act Trump says helped Taylor Swift?

Taylor Swift dominated headlines last night after she was spotted supporting her boyfriend Travis Kelce in the Super Bowl. But Swift has been in the news for another reason: Democrats want her endorsement.

The news that the Biden camp want the pop star's endorsement as the President seeks reelection this year was reported by The New York Times. The biggest star in the world right now, Swift's support could mean a lot of the campaign.

Unsurprisingly, the news upset a lot of Republicans, and it seems former President and likely Republican candidate Donald Trump, is included in that group.

Last night, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to go on a rant about Taylor Swift, claiming to be responsible for her success due to the "Music Modernization Act" and that because of that she would not "endorse Crooked Joe Biden."

He wrote: "I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists. Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will. There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money." The former President also added a comment about her boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce: "Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably can’t stand me!"

But what is the Music Modernization Act Trump is crediting himself for?

Trump signed the act into law in October 2018. The bill was unanimously passed by the House and Senate into law, and focused on reforming copyright laws.

The law's main pieces of legislation include making it easier for rights holders to get paid when their music is streamed online, and improves royalty payouts for producers and engineers when their recordings are used on satellite and online radio.

The law essentially helped bring music rights up to date with the streaming era.

However, attorneys dispute that Trump had much to do with the law.

Dina LePolt, a key attorney behind the act told Varietyin a statement: “This [claim] is funny to me". “Trump did nothing on our legislation except sign it, and doesn’t even know what the Music Modernization Act does. Someone should ask him what the bill actually accomplished.”

And on Trump's point that Swift would never "be disloyal to the man who made her so much money", she already has been.

In 2019 for Elle, Swift spoke out against Trump, writing: "Invoking racism and provoking fear through thinly veiled messaging is not what I want from our leaders, and I realized that it actually is my responsibility to use my influence against that disgusting rhetoric."

So even if Biden doesn't get Swift's endorsement, it doesn't look like Trump's getting it either.

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