Zach Bryan has permanently deactivated his Twitter/X account after making a controversial comment about preferring Kanye West over Taylor Swift while under the influence. However, he addressed the situation on Instagram Thursday morning to clarify his stance.
The controversy began on Tuesday night when Bryan, a well-known supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles, tweeted, “eagles > chiefs Kanye > Taylor who’s with me,” following his team’s loss to Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 Super Bowl. The tweet quickly attracted backlash from Swift’s dedicated fanbase, known as Swifties.
In response to the criticism, Bryan explained in a follow-up tweet on Wednesday that he had “drunkenly” made the statement after listening to Swift’s song “Thank You Aimee” from her album The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, which criticizes Kim Kardashian and her former husband Kanye West. He expressed his admiration for both artists, stating, “If anyone took it serious please know I love both artists a lot and think we’re in a really beautiful time of music.”
Despite his efforts to explain, Bryan chose to deactivate his Twitter/X account, which remained unavailable the following morning.
On Instagram, he posted a lengthy statement in his Stories, paired with an audio clip of Swift’s “Fortnight,” where he attempted to clarify his comments. “For the record guys I wasn’t coming for Taylor the other night,” Bryan wrote. He acknowledged that he was simply comparing two records and admitted that his remarks may have been misinterpreted, emphasizing his respect for Swift as a musician.
Regarding his decision to leave Twitter, he stated, “Twitter gets me in trouble too much and I’d say it’s best I stay off it. I’m sorry to any Taylor fans I pissed off or let down. Love you guys and I’m trying my best!”
In additional Stories, he further praised Swift as “a force of nature” and confirmed his intention to take a break from social media to refocus amid personal challenges. He concluded with a reminder: “Don’t drink and tweet!!”