Chiefs getting White House invitation; will Taylor Swift go, too? It’s up to the team
Super kiss: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce share a kiss after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII. Will the singer visit the White House with the team later this year? (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
WASHINGTON — Fresh off winning the second overtime game in Super Bowl history, the Kansas City Chiefs continue to intrigue with the Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift angle.
According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the Chiefs will be invited to the White House, after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII, The Washington Post reported.
Jean-Pierre, addressing reporters on Monday during a briefing, then was asked if the 14-time Grammy Award singer, who is dating Kelce, will also receive an invitation, according to The New York Times.
“That’s going to be up to the Chiefs, and obviously, their decision to figure out who’s going to come with them when they come,” Jean-Pierre told reporters. “And as you know, it’s a White House tradition. I can’t, I can’t speak to attendance and who will be here, but we look forward to having them here.”
Sports teams invited to the White House generally receive a set allotment of tickets to events, the Times reported. The White House does not choose the guest list.
Gisele Bündchen, who was married to Tom Brady when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV in 2021, did not visit the White House, according to the newspaper.
But like it or not -- and the NFL has certainly liked it -- the budding relationship between Kelce and Swift was a major subplot during the 2023 season.
Swift attended 13 games during the season, and flew from Japan over the weekend to be in attendance when the Chiefs and 49ers met at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday.
According to her website, Swift’s Eras Tour goes back overseas with a show in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday. She then will hopscotch the globe until Aug. 20. She returns to North America for nine shows in Canada from Nov. 14 through Dec. 8, according to Swift’s website.
Football teams generally visit the White House during the summer, before training camps open, the Post reported.
That may seem problematic, but Swift did make the long trip from Japan back to the United States for the Super Bowl. She will be performing in Europe between June and August, so a trip across the Atlantic might be less taxing.
Jean-Pierre opened her press briefing by congratulating the Chiefs, the Times reported.
“The president was able to catch some of the game,” she said. “And on his behalf, I want 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.”
From a political standpoint, Swift endorsed Joe Biden for president in an interview with V Magazine.
Former president Donald Trump complained before Sunday’s game about Swift possibly endorsing Biden, the Post reported.
“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,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform hours before Super Bowl LVIII. “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. Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably can’t stand me!”
Tree Paine, a representative for Swift, did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday from the Times about whether the singer would go to the White House with the team, or whether she planned to endorse Biden again.
Taylor Swift: Singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively chat before Super Bowl LVIII. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively, right, react prior to Super Bowl LVIII. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively look on before Super Bowl LVIII. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Singer Taylor Swift in her box at Super Bowl LVIII. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively share a laugh before Super Bowl LVIII. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Rapper Ice Spice, Donna Kelce, singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively react after a long completion by the Chiefs during the second quarter. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Ice Spice, from left, Ashley Avignone, Taylor Swift and Blake Lively react during the first half. (David Becker/AP)
Super Bowl LVIII: Ice Spice, left, and Taylor Swift talk before Sunday's game. (George Walker IV/AP)
Taylor Swift: Ice Spice, Ashley Avignone and Taylor Swift get into the action during Super Bowl LVIII. (David Becker/AP)
Taylor Swift: Actor Miles Teller, singer Lana Del Rey, singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively react during the third quarter. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Super Bowl LVIII: Actor Miles Teller, singer Lana Del Rey, singer Ice Spice, singer Taylor Swift, and actress Blake Lively react in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Taylor Swift kisses Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after Kansas City won Super Bowl LVIII in overtime. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Taylor Swift celebrates with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) after Kansas City's overtime victory in Super Bowl LVIII. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift: Taylor Swift and Donna Kelce look on as the Chiefs are presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl LVIII. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs talks on his phone after a game against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Travis Kelce and Donna Kelce attend the Netflix Premiere of "Quarterback" at Netflix Tudum Theater on July 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Netflix)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Travis Kelce speaks to the crowd as the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs are honored prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on June 12, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (L) and tight end Travis Kelce of the NFL Kansas City Chiefs present U.S. President Joe Biden a team jersey at the White House on June 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Chiefs are the 2023 Super Bowl champions. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Travis Kelce #87 and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate on stage with teammates during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVII victory parade on February 15, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with the the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2023: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2022: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs and AFC signs autographs for fans after the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on February 06, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2021: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a catch against Lavonte David #54 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2020: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs exhorts fans during the Kansas City Super Bowl parade on February 5, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2020: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2020: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts late in the game against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2019: Tight end Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs up field during pre-game before a game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2018: NFL player Travis Kelce reacts after being "slimed" onstage during the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports 2018 at Barker Hangar on July 19, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2018: Tight end Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs flexes his muscle after a touchdown catch beyond the coverage of inside linebacker Avery Williamson #54 of the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 6, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2017: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce visits the SiriusXM set at Super Bowl LI Radio Row at the George R. Brown Convention Center on February 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Travis Kelce through the years 2016: NFL player Travis Kelce attends the Cedars-Sinai Sports Spectacular at W Los Angeles, West Beverly Hills on March 25, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Sports Spectacular)
Travis Kelce through the years 2015: Tight end Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with fan while running off the field following the Chiefs 34-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 20, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2016: Travis Kelce #87 and quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate a fourth quarter touchdown by Spencer Ware during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on January 9, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2012: Teammates Dan Giordano #99, George Winn #32, Travis Kelce #18 and Brendon Kay #11 of the Cincinnati Bearcats celebrate after defeating the Duke Blue Devils 48-34 during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 27, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce through the years 2012: Travis Kelce #18 of the Cincinnati Bearcats reacts after scoring the game winning touchdown against the Duke Blue Devils during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 27, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)