Could Taylor Swift go to the White House with the Chiefs? Here’s who gets to decide
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The Kansas City Chiefs earned another trip to the White House when they vanquished the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
They won in front of a Las Vegas crowd at Allegiant Stadium full of A-list celebrities, including one whose name came up at the White House daily briefing Monday.
“The president was able to catch some of the game, 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,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
“The president looks forward to welcoming them back once again to the White House to celebrate their latest victory. As you know, it is a White House tradition.”
And since the name came up …
Jean-Pierre was asked whether Taylor Swift would be invited, too. The pop superstar has dated Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce since last summer, after he saw one of her Eras Tour concerts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Jean-Pierre chuckled.
“That’s going to be up to the Chiefs, and obviously, it’s their decision to decide who’s going to come with them when they come,” she said..
“I can’t speak to attendance and who will be here. But we look forward to having them here, and obviously, we congratulate them on a great win.”
The team’s trip to the White House last June went viral when Kelce tried to take over the microphone during the celebration ceremony.
He was only able to say “so I’ve been waiting for this …” before teammate and quarterback Patrick Mahomes pushed him away from the mic.
“I’ve always admired, obviously, the president at the podium is iconic, right?” Kelce said later on the “New Heights” podcast he hosts with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
“How he usually addresses the nation, ‘To my fellow Americans.’ And I, that’s all I wanted to say, dude. That’s it. I shouldn’t have started off with ‘I’ve always wanted to do this.’
“Pat knew right away I was in over my head … shoutout to Pat for keeping me from embarrassing myself at that podium, man, in front of the whole world. But that was fun.”
He also revealed that wasn’t even the silliest thing he pulled while there.
He and Mahomes, coach Andy Reid and team president Mark Donovan met with the president in the Oval Office.
“We’re hanging out in the Oval Office and he’s showing us pictures behind the Resolute Desk and grabs a picture of his grandson peeking through the door of the Resolute Desk,” Kelce said on his podcast. “Like I believe (John F.) Kennedy did when he was a kid or Kennedy’s son did.”
“And he said, ‘My grandson could get under there. Can you fit through that hole?’ And I was like, ‘We’re about to find out.’ Joe, don’t you threaten me with a good time now. I’m going to take advantage (of) this thing.’”
And then he crawled under the desk as Mahomes and the others in the room warned him: “Dude, get out from under there.”
Surely if Kelce is allowed back, Swift would be a shoo-in?
Reporters asked the press secretary if players would get a plus-one for the visit.
(Or even plus three? Mahomes and his wife, KC Current co-owner and newly minted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model Brittany Mahomes, have two children.)
“That’s a good question! I can’t answer that right now,” Jean-Pierre said. “But, look, we are looking forward to having them here — the Chiefs. It was a great win.”
If the trip is scheduled for June again, Swift will be in France, the United Kingdom and Ireland with the international leg of her Eras Tour.
But there’s always that private jet.
Chief Washington Correspondent Michael Wilner contributed reporting.