Overview

• Posted on Aug. 17, James Comey’s five-minute Substack video praises Taylor Swift as an “inspirational” figure and declares him a longtime “Swiftie.”
• He shares personal details — two concerts, helping relatives buy tickets, a family Swiftie group chat, and listening to her music while mowing the lawn.
• Comey critiques Donald Trump and urges resisting “meanness,” cites Swift’s advice about guarding one’s energy, and recites lyrics from her song “Mean.”
• The video went viral and drew heavy ridicule on social media, with conservative figures including Benny Johnson and Dinesh D’Souza amplifying criticism and some users falsely suggesting it was AI-generated.
• Coverage ties the episode to Comey’s earlier “8647” seashell post that triggered a Justice Department inquiry, with no new legal actions reported related to the Swift video.