Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce finds himself at the center of a social media storm after purportedly liking an Instagram post featuring former President Donald Trump.
The post, uploaded by former ESPN host Sage Steele, shows Trump during his visit to UFC 299 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, last month. He was seen engaging with the crowd and various personalities.
Trump, accompanied by his daughter Ivanka, was met with a mix of cheers and chants from the audience.
Trump’s presence at the sporting event was punctuated by a viral moment when a “F**ck Joe Biden!” chant broke out among the crowd, a video of which was captured by commentator Benny Johnson and has since been widely circulated online.
The controversy surrounding Kelce began when sharp-eyed fans noticed that the NFL star had liked Steele's photo that featured her alongside Trump at the UFC event.
The action quickly sparked debate, given Kelce's public image, which has been associated with Democratic-leaning stances due to his involvement in a Pfizer vaccine campaign and a Bud Light commercial.
Furthermore, Kelce's relationship with pop icon Taylor Swift, who publicly supported Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, has reinforced this perception.
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#Breaking News: Travis Kelce, NFL star tight end and boyfriend of Taylor Swift, is causing controversy after liking a post of ESPN former reporter Sage Steele and Donald Trump at a UFC event.
I think everyone, even celebrities, are finally waking up and supporting the MAGA… pic.twitter.com/EpyGOV3zY3
— Travis (@Travis_in_Flint) April 14, 2024
Online users suggest a simpler, more personal rationale behind the like, theorizing, "He probably likes Sage. I wouldn’t go that far into it." Another said, "Or maybe he just liked a post! I don’t think we need to overanalyze someone liking a post." These online users lean towards viewing the interaction as a benign acknowledgment of Steele rather than an endorsement of the political context surrounding the photo.
Conversely, another faction of the online community speculates on a deeper evolution in Kelce's political or social views, suggesting, "Maybe he's awakened after all?"
